The Chosen
by HCMONSTER93
Summary: Acacia already has a troubled life, desperate to recall something - anything - from her life. But when troubling dreams beginning to lapse into her waking life as well, she finds it harder than ever to seperate reality from myth . . .
1. Prologue

_ Darkness. That was all I could see, like a pitch black blanket had been draped over my face in an attempt to shield me from a view too terrible to behold. But it didn't stop the cold seeping in, grazing over my skin tenderly, taunting me for being so weak and pathetic. Or maybe that was the voices . . . it was impossible to make out what they were saying. Not only were they mumbling and whispering, but I was sure they were speaking in a different language. Whatever it was sent shivers down my spine._

_ I tried to figure out where I was, but it was useless. I reached out in front of me, and to both sides, but my hands didn't make contact with anything. Eventually, I decided to lower myself to the ground, running my hands out in front of me cautiously. Without warning, my fingertips ran over a craggy edge, cutting through my skin like a hot knife through butter. I gasped, pulling my hand back hurriedly._

_ One of the voices suddenly grew louder, laughing in my ear. Before I realised what was happening, a whimper slipped my lips pathetically, and the laughter took on a cold, cruel edge. "Baby Ace," it taunted, barely audible over the pounding of my heart. "Why are you so weak? Why can you not be more like your father?"_

_ The familiar taunt made my blood run cold, and for a moment, I wondered if I was now living my own version of hell in my sleep too. Wasn't it enough that I spent all day every day being scolded by my own mother for being too weak?_

_ But the voice didn't belong to my mother. It was male, for one thing, and it held a certain threat of power that my mother could never pull off. As scared of my mother as I was, this man's voice terrified me to my core. My knees were weak, and my hands shook uncontrollably at my sides. _

_Realising the effect he had on me, the man cackled, louder this time until his voice rattled inside my head and caused another, more panicked whimper to escape my mouth. "Is this all they have?" the man sneered nastily. "The best and the brightest . . . and then you. What hope can they possibly have?"_

Wake up,_ I chimed to myself, clenching my fists at my sides and closing my eyes tightly as I gulped back my fear. _It's only a dream, you can wake up!

"_You can do nothing to stop me," the man was still saying, anger now getting the better of him._

_My body shook and my eyebrows tightened. _It's just a dream, Acacia. Wake UP!

"_You will fall, and there is nothing you can do about it," he snarled, and the air grew heavy around me. Suddenly, I couldn't breathe._

WAKE UP!_ I yelled internally._

"ACACIA!"

I bolted upright in my bed, gasping for breath with wide eyes and a hammering heart. As usual, my bedroom lay in darkness. My sheets were tangled around my legs after my fitful night's sleep, and a fine layer of sweat trailed over my skin. Behind me, my pillow lay in at a strange angle, stained with fresh tears.

"ACACIA, ARE YOU UP THERE!" my mother's yell came.

I sighed heavily, my hands shaking my sides. "Yes, Mum! Is everything okay?"

I heard her stumble on the stairs, and automatically flinched toward the door to help. But I held myself back, frowning into the darkness as she giggled at herself. "OF COURSE IT IS, SILLY GIRL!" she shouted back, still giggling. "WHY WOULDN'T IT BE?"

I rolled my eyes. "Just checking, Mum."

"DON'T TAKE THAT PATRONISING TONE WITH ME, YOUNG LADY! GO TO SLEEP!"

_I was asleep,_ I thought to myself irritably. _Until you shouted._

But it dawned on me that it might have been a good thing that Mum had woke me up. If she hadn't, I might have still been in that horrible nightmare. The more I thought about it, the more frightening it seemed to get. What on Earth could have possessed me to make something so . . . _creepy_, even in my dreams?

I shook the thought away. Everything was the way it always was. I had been left home alone all night then woken to the sound of my drunk mother staggering home at some ungodly hour in the morning.

There was no need to get worked up over a dream . . . was there?


	2. Chapter One: Five Years Later

I lay flat out on my bed, staring at the ceiling with a blank facial expression. It was difficult not to over-think my current situation. Every morning was the same; I woke up, I tried to remember my name, realised I couldn't, then gave up.

They say I lost all memory of my childhood. They tell me that I'm American, that I'm twelve years old, that my father died when I was young and my mother is an alcoholic who can't remember ever having a daughter. I didn't want to move to Scotland, but I had no choice. They seemed to think I was in some sort of danger, and that I'd be safer here.

I can almost hear you asking, "Who are _they?"_

The truth; I have no idea.

All I know; I ended up in Glasgow, Scotland, with a family I hardly knew. I couldn't even remember my real name.

Groaning irritably, I threw my legs over the side of the bed and ran a shaky hand through my hair. For as long as I could remember – only the past couple of months spent here in Glasgow – I'd had been plagued by dreams I couldn't decipher. They were blurry and distorted at best, and what I could make out made no sense.

For one, I seemed to recall having an older sister – maybe four or five years between us – yet I'd been told repeatedly that my only family was an alcoholic mother I wasn't allowed to see. For another, I had a recurring dream of a birthday party, mine I think. Mum had had an incident with the candles and her alcohol, and someone was yelling at her for being irresponsible, most likely the older sister I couldn't remember. In the background, I could hear a baby crying, but yet again, I'd been told there had never been a baby in our house, unless you included me when I was young. None of it made any sense.

I'd lived here now for two months. Mary Cunningham was only twenty nine years old, and had a three year old daughter of her own. But she hadn't been planned, and she couldn't cope with it on her own. She thought adopting another girl to influence Felicity would take some of the pressure off her. I suppose that was one way to explain the following result.

I was transferred from America to Scotland and put in the care system. Less than a day later, Mary took me in, as if she'd been waiting for me to arrive. A week later, her daughter paid more attention to what I said than what she did. I immediately thought Mary would have gone mad, and tried to make amends discreetly, but as it turned out, she was relieved. It wasn't that she didn't love Felicity. It was that she wasn't cut out for having kids, and she didn't know how to handle her. Luckily, I was quite mature for my age, and knew how to look after myself and Felicity well enough to make up for it.

Staggering to my feet with a deep breath, I stumbled toward my wardrobe and dodged the random things that lay across the floor, a result of Felicity's nightmares. She'd tried to convince me during the night that some monster had been following me last week. Mary started getting worried about her mental health, but I gathered it was just the kid's imagination.

I yanked the door open and pulled out a pair of black skinny jeans and the rest of my school uniform. Technically, I wasn't supposed to wear jeans to school, but I couldn't help it. Anything that separated me from the rest of the kids was a blessing in disguise. But, catching my reflection in the mirror behind the door, I couldn't help rolling my eyes irritably.

I hated my appearance. For some reason, it brought back bad memories. My black hair fell down to my elbows in loose, thick curls, and a wavy fringe sloped across the left side of my forehead and framed that side of my face. Beneath it, stormy grey eyes flashed back at me. I was reasonably short for my age, built like a long distance runner, which would probably be why I was so fast.

Shaking myself wearily, I turned and slipped out of my bedroom, hesitating when I heard Mary stumbled out the bathroom. Ignoring her curses and angry comments about her unmanageable hair, I hauled myself down the stairs and into the open plan living room and joint kitchen. At the far end, Felicity was sat at the dining table, her little seagreen eyes peering over the top curiously. When she saw me enter the room, she leapt off the chair and raced straight toward me.

"Kelsey!" she squealed, giggling her head off as she collided when my legs. I laughed at her, bending down to scoop her into my arms.

"You eaten yet?" I asked. She shook her head slowly. "Then how about I make you some scrambled egg?" She nodded furiously, and I let her down as I started toward the fridge to make breakfast.

In the time it took Mary to finish in the bathroom, I'd fed Felicity, myself, cleaned the kitchen, located my homework, and hurriedly sorted my hair into something that resembled a ponytail. As she stepped into the living room, I was slinging my school bag over my shoulder. Smiling, I planted a quick kiss on her cheek.

"Felicity's had breakfast, but I said I'd meet Dan and Ethan on the bus, so I can't walk her to the baby-sitter. Can you drop her off on your way?" Mary nodded, wincing as she stabbed herself by accident with her earrings. "I'll see you later." Letting myself out the front door, I spun around and bolted for the bus before it was too late.

I just managed to get to the bus in time, leaping on board and greeting the driver with my usual head nod. I headed straight for the back and sat down in the corner quietly. Pulling the hood up on my jacket, I took my iPod out of my bag, picked my favourite band and plugged my ears with the headphones.

Five minutes hadn't even passed before I felt someone prodded my arm. It would have made me jump, but I was far too used it. Already knowing who it was, I pulled one headphone out and looked up.

Ethan – a tall, gangly looking boy with glasses and red hair – stood clutching the straps for his backpack. His shirt was tucked into his pants and his face was covered in freckles. All in all, he was your average geek, if you were one for stereotyping. And believe it or not, he got picked on a lot, which was part of the reason I was friends with him. I didn't like people bullying others because they were different, or into different things. He couldn't stand up for himself, so I did it. Though he didn't say it, I was sure the other kids had a god when I wasn't looking because a girl stood up for him.

"Hello Kelsey," he said, sniffing loudly. I pursed my lips to stop myself laughing and smiled at him as he sat down beside me, pulling a PDA out of his pocket.

"Hi Ethan," I replied. "What's up?"

"Nothing much," he answered, same as always. I smiled, reverting back to the quiet music blasting in one ear. My eyes scanned the bus as usual, almost willing someone to be stupid enough to start. Samantha Close, the school bully, glared at me, but didn't move.

"Hi Kels," another voice came, and I smiled again as I looked up at Daniel. He and Ethan couldn't have been more opposite if they'd tried. Dan had short, tatty dark hair and a heavy tan, with a lean figure and brown eyes that seemed to get a flash of red when he got angry. He was the only other person in our school that didn't have a Scottish accent. Grinning with a mischievous wink in Ethan's direction, he pushed himself between the two of us and shoved his bag down by his feet. "So, how you doing with Mary? Finally settled in yet?"

I pursed my lips tightly and shrugged. "I suppose so."

He frowned, scanning my expression. "Dreams again?"

My eyes tightened at the mention of them. I almost regretted telling him about the sister I didn't have, or the baby that never existed. Worse still, a voice that sent shudders down my spine. But then, Dan was the only one that seemed to realise these things held any sort of significance for me. If I hadn't told him, I might've thought I'd gone made.

"They're getting worse," I admitted under my breath, making sure no one was listening in. "I don't understand what they mean. Do you think I'm just torturing myself? Making things up in my sleep because I'm paranoid?"

Something like pity flashed across his face momentarily, but he quickly smirked and nudged me with an elbow. "Lighten up, Kels," he smiled. "We all knew you were mad anyway." I smiled tightly, trying to twist the meaning of his words in a way that made me seem less mad. It didn't work very well.

The bus pulled up outside the school, and Ethan staggered to his feet first. Dan automatically caught his arm as he tripped over the step, rolling his eyes back at me dramatically. I scolded him with a quick scowl, following them down to the pavement silently. As we neared the school building – a low-built, dull, hellish place – I immediately noticed Miss Ingis, my Science teacher, hanging around the entrance. She stood perfectly straight, watching the students entering the building with her beady, black eyes.

"Hide me," I hissed at Daniel. He smirked slightly, but nodded at me and shifted to stand in front of me, shoving his hands into his pockets and trying to make himself look as big as possible. Considering he was only twelve, it wasn't difficult.

I walked close behind him, my head down as I pulled my hood back up to shield my face. We would have made it past the witch without a problem, if Ethan hadn't decided to open his mouth. "Kelsey? Did you bring back that USB I leant you?" he asked casually, and I watched Miss Ingis flick her eyes on our direction instantly.

My lips pursed. "No, sorry," I replied in a mutter, nudging Daniel with a roll of my eyes. "Forgot."

Daniel grimaced at me tightly as Miss Ingis stepped forward, a sly, evil smile splitting across her face. "Ah, Miss Connor," she said slowly, in her usual sickly sweet voice. "I assume you've finished your Science work?"

"Yes Miss Ingis," I sighed. "But it isn't due until tomorrow."

Her eyes flashed dangerously, and I cursed myself mentally. "Are you questioning me, Miss Conner?" she asked carefully.

I pursed my lips again. "No, Miss Ingis," I answered quietly.

She looked mildly disappointed by my lack of fight, but snapped her fingers sharply in front of my face and pointed through the doorway. "Inside," she spat. "Now."

Daniel suddenly had me by the arm, dragging me inside before I could do anymore damage by accident. The moment we'd passed outside her earshot, he let out a low whistle. "You really know how to get on that woman's nerves," he commented with a glint in his eyes.

"Don't," I groaned. "Just . . . don't."

We headed straight toward our form room, where Mrs Linsey was already halfway through the register. She tutted at us when we entered, almost five minutes late, but as usual, her eyes fixed on me. I carried on to the back of the room, ignoring her as much as possible.

The rest of the morning past by in a similar manner. My teachers seemed to give me a wide berth, and the students seemed to be trying their best to stay away too. In fact, the only one to come anywhere near me all morning was Daniel, and even he picked up on the distance everyone seemed to be trying to keep.

It wasn't until Science – my first lesson of the afternoon – that things started to get bad. As usual, Daniel and I were working on our Chemistry project at the back of the class. Or at least, we were supposed to be. Instead, we were mumbling under our breaths about the fight that had happened at lunch, when Samantha Close decided to talk to us.

She and her best friend – Natalie, I think her name was, but I couldn't be sure because all she ever did was stand behind Samantha and sneer at us – were sat at the table behind us. Fifteen minutes before the lesson was due to end, Samantha leant forward and prodded my spine with a sharp nail.

I straightened with a slight gasp of surprise, ignoring the sniggers as I turned to stare over my shoulder. "What?" I asked, a little harshly. Daniel rolled his eyes at me with a smirk.

"Oh, someone got up on the wrong side of the cage this morning," she cackled quietly, wrinkling her nose.

I took a deep, calming breath. "Get to the point, Close."

She glowered at me. "Heard you're coming on the New York trip next week," she commented, and I felt my hand tighten into a fist. Beside me, Daniel's expression had should become very set. "Aren't you afraid of losing it again?"

My jaw locked. In the back of my mind, I knew what she was getting at. But something made me ask, just to make sure she really was that stupid. "Lose what?"

She sneered again. "Your mind, idiot."

I couldn't really explain what happened next. I wasn't really an aggressive person, but Daniel had to literally hold me back as I twisted toward her. She and Natalie laughed loudly at me, and in the distance, I could just see Miss Ingis turn toward us with her beady eyes.

The next thing I knew, Samantha's Chemistry set blew up.

I was nowhere near it, but a surge of electricity seemed to run through my arms, so strong I shuddered with a gulp and Daniel released me with a loud yelp of surprise. There was a smash as the glass tubes exploded in front of us, sending chemicals in every direction but toward me. Samantha's and Natalie's laughs had turned to screams.

"Right!" Miss Ingis shouted, racing over as fast as her scrawny legs could carry her. Her eyes were locked on me, shining in a misplaced delight. I didn't care. My heart was pounding furiously in my chest, thudding in my ears. "Miss Connor, outside." Suddenly, her Scottish accent didn't sound so Scottish.

"She didn't do anything!" Daniel spat, hiding his hands behind his back. Trying to calm down, I peered at his palm; the skin was red and irritated, bordering on burnt. A twist of guilt I didn't understand made me gulp hard.

"I didn't ask for your opinion, Mr Law," she spat at him, in what I know realised was a perfect American accent. "Clean up this mess! Connor, outside, now!"

I didn't look at Daniel as I scooped my bag off the floor and followed her out of the room, but I could feel his furious gaze trailing after me. Samantha was sniggering again, mumbling something I couldn't make out at Natalie.

Miss Ingis found a deserted classroom at the end of the hall and shoved the door open, grabbing me by the collar and hauling me through the door. I stumbled slightly when she let go, my blood still boiling as I dropped my bag and slumped into one of the seats.

"I've waited a long time for this," she told me, eyeing my expression. "But I have to say, Miss Grace, I expected more."

I flinched back into my seat, my frown deepening into a worried scowl. "What did you just call me?" I managed to mutter.

She laughed – short and harsh. "Don't play games with me, child! You got away from us once, but you won't do it again!"

I gulped hard, cautiously slipping out of my chair and backing up a few steps. "I don't know what you're talking about."

She ignored me. "I have to say, you've hidden well," she commented, wagging a finger at me like I was a four year old caught with my hand in the cookie jar. "Scotland? Nice choice. A little ironic, all things considered."

"Ironic?" I questioned. I had no idea what the hell this woman was prattling on about, but anything that distracted her was a godsend.

She snorted darkly. "Yes, child, _ironic._ The fights the gods had about it when they settled in England were a nightmare. Odd that they should choose this place to hide you."

I blinked, speechless. I couldn't help it. I was almost positive that she'd said the word_ gods._

Before things could get anymore weird though, someone barged through the door. Miss Ingis went rigid as the Headmistress, Dr. Hearth, strode into the door, her eyes flicking from me to Miss Ingis repeatedly. I couldn't put into words how relieved I was to see her. It wouldn't be exaggerating to say that she was the only reason I hadn't already been kicked out of the school.

"Kelsey," she greeted quietly, before turning back to the teacher. "Miss Ingis, I believe your Science class is on the verge of destroying the school. Please settle them down again."

Miss Ingis glowered for a moment, then stalked past her with something that sounded oddly like a hiss. Dr. Hearth's lips pursed tightly, but she just fixed her gaze on me and indicated for me to follow her. Gulping again, I hurried forward and snatched my bag back up on my way out.

Dr. Hearth didn't say a word until we were inside her office on the other side of the school. It wasn't a very large room, the window was shut tight, and summer was just on the horizon, but she apparently felt the need to keep the fire on too. I knew Scotland wasn't the warmest place on earth, but it certainly wasn't that cold. The moment I stepped into the room, the heat hit me and I almost staggered back out again.

Dr. Hearth, on the other hand, sat herself down behind the desk casually and waited for me to take my seat in front of her. Taking one last deep breath of fresh, cool air, I slipped into the room and closed the door behind me.

Leaning forward, Dr. Hearth fixed me with a stern gaze, peering over the rim of her stylish glasses. She was a friendly woman, with a slim figure and tumbles of caramel coloured hair framing her face. Her warm eyes shone slightly as she looked at me. Something about her gave off a kind of warning, as though the friendly face she had was masking something almost dangerous.

"This is the third time this week, Miss Connor," she said, her voice dripping with disappointment.

I grimaced at her. "It's less than last week," I offered feebly.

"It's only Wednesday."

I sighed and shifted in my chair, dropping my gaze to my knees. It wasn't like I tried to get into trouble, it just . . . happened. She grimaced at me tightly. "Something had to change, Kelsey. I can't keep protecting you like this." She said it with a tone of urgency that worried me a little.

"I don't mean to," I groaned. "And I didn't even do anything this time, I swear! I had no idea how that chemistry set blew up like that, I-"

"Kelsey!" she interrupted with a misplaced smile that made me blink in surprise. "I know. After all, how on Earth could a young girl such as yourself blow up a chemistry set without so much as touching it?" She looked at me like she was expecting an answer.

"Erm, they can't?" I answered slowly, unable to stop the confused frown from flitting across my face.

Her lips twitched into another smile, almost relieved. "Right," she agreed. "However, I don't believe it's a good idea for you to go back to class. Maybe you should wait in the library and head to your next lesson when it starts." I nodded at her, collecting my bag again and heading for the door. "Oh, and Miss Connor?" I peered back at her questioningly. She grimaced. "Perhaps you should relax a little before you attend that trip to New York. We wouldn't want you in any trouble while you're there, would we?"

She made it sound like my life depended on it.

"No, Dr. Hearth," I agreed. "I'll, err, take it easy." She smiled broadly at me as I let myself out of her office.

Daniel was waiting for me at our usual table at the back of the History class when I finally managed to get away from the librarian. He almost leapt out of his seat when he saw me enter the room, and I found myself frowning at him, remembering the injuries on his hands.

"What did Ingis do?" he asked furiously as I sat down. I blinked. "Say," he amended, shaking his head with a curse I couldn't make out. "What did Ingis _say?"_

I shrugged, gulping as a shudder ran down my spine. "Nothing much. Dr. Hearth walked in."

Daniel let out a low breath, nodding. "Good." I sent him a questioning gaze, but he just shook his head at me. Pursing my lips, I angled myself toward him and lowered my voice.

"Let me see your hands." He stared for a second, as if I was completely mad, but something twitched in his expression. I scowled, snapping my fingers at him impatiently. With a sigh and slight shrug, he complied.

They were completely healed.

I blinked in surprise, glancing up to meet his gaze, but he was still looking at me like I was insane. Shaking myself, I turned back in my chair and ignored him.

At the front of the class, Mr Graham was already waving the text book in front of us and telling us to turn to page fifty two. I had to admit, he was an alright teacher. We had others that were a lot more laid-back and friendly, but he was still a vast improvement on Miss Ingis. He taught History, but usually only subjects like the Greeks or Romans. As he started to ramble on, I slouched down and leant my chin on my arms.

"Miss Connor!" Mr Graham suddenly snapped.

I jumped, lifting my head off the desk. "Um?" I asked sleepily.

He frowned at me. "Can you explain to the rest of the class why the Titan Kronos ate his children and how they defeated him?" he asked carefully.

I blinked, my mind suddenly blank. "Erm, no, sir."

In the corner, Samantha scoffed and my eyes tightened.

"He ate them because he feared they'd try to overthrow him like he had his father," Mr Graham explained to me patiently. "Does this help?"

I was about to ask, _help who?_ It sounded like a lot of gods got ate. Then I realised he wanted me to answer the rest of the question, and I shook myself. "Erm, didn't Kronos's wife, Rhea, hide Zeus and gave him a rock instead?"

Mr Graham considered me for a moment. "Are you asking me, or telling me?"

I pursed my lips. "Telling?"

He smiled slightly, nodding. "Yes, she did. Do you remember how the gods defeated him?"

"When Zeus grew up, he tricked Kronos into throwing up his brothers and sisters," I answered, relieved I finally remembered something. "They went to war and the gods ended up slicing him into pieces with his own scythe and scattering the remains in Tartarus."

"Excellent!" Mr Graham beamed, as though the thought of slicing up a Titan intrigued him. "And do you know what Tartarus is?"

I glanced around, wondering why he wasn't asking anyone else this seemingly pointless questions. "Err, the darkest, deepest part of the Underworld?" I guessed.

He nodded, but I got the feeling the quizzing wasn't over. "You seem to know your stuff, Miss Connor," he said, only mildly impressed. "Erm, could you name the god of the sky?"

"Zeus," I answered.

"And Poseidon is the..."

"God of the Sea and Earthquakes," I replied.

"I'm sure you can guess the last one," Mr Graham said, now grinning broadly.

"Erm, Hades is the God of the Underworld?" I guessed. Mr Graham clapped loudly and slowly and unenthusiastically, the class joined in.

"Excellent Miss Conner," Mr Graham smiled. "Now, as for the rest of you ..."

Figuring I was off the hook, I rested my head back on the desk and closed my eyes. I didn't know why he bombarded me with random questions. He never did it to anyone else and it always seemed to make Daniel more uncomfortable than it did me. There were just some things that I'd never understand, so I gave up trying.

"Conner, this includes you to," Mr Graham called.

"Yes sir," I sighed heavily, sitting back up and slouched back into the chair. He smiled a little, but turned back to the class.

"Next week is the class trip to America's Metropolitan Museum of Arts in Manhattan," he started.

"I thought we were going to see sightseeing stuff," Samantha said dumbly. I groaned, rolling my eyes. Mr Graham nodded.

"Well, this is one of them. Whilst we are there, it seemed appropriate to visit the museum," he said. "So I expect you all to know what you're talking about by the time we get there."

"This should be fun," I muttered to Daniel. He nodded, frowning slightly. I pursed my lips, shaking myself.

To be honest, I was dreading it. Only ten of us were going, but this included Samantha Close, and her two best friends, Natalie and Ciara, as well as Daniel, Ethan and I. The other four weren't really that bad. To top it off, as well as Mr Graham, Miss Ingis was going too.

Should be fun.


	3. Chapter Two: Disaster In New York

The following the Sunday marked the day of our flight to New York. Ethan had spent the rest of the week trying to figure out if there was any new gadgets he could get over there that hadn't yet been released here. Oddly, Daniel kept checking weather forecasts and getting increasingly agitated when he figured out they were all wrong. Apparently, it was chaos over there. That didn't settle my mood any.

The flight left at some ungodly hour in the morning, so naturally, I'd packed all my things the night before. Unfortunately, that didn't stop Mary waking up the entire house in a panic.

I staggered into the kitchen, groaning when I realised the clock only read half past three in the morning. Felicity was perched on one of the chairs in her pyjamas, rubbing her eyes with her tiny hands and yawning widely. Mary, on the other hand, was already dressed in jeans and a baggy t-shirt, muttering to herself as she tried to make scrambled egg what with looked like egg, cheese and cola.

"I'd say morning," I started, rolling my eyes and slumping into one of the chair at the table. Felicity pouted at me in agreement.

"Of course it's morning!" Mary said cheerfully, her expression becoming very fixed. "You should be excited, Kels! New York!"

I restrained a flinch and nodded at her.

"What's New York?" Felicity asked loudly, frowning up at me.

"It's a city in America," I told her patiently.

"Where's that?"

"Across the Atlantic."

"What's the Atlantic?"

I smiled wearily as Mary set a plate of toast in front of us. Apparently, she'd given up on the scrambled egg. "The ocean on the west coast, now eat your breakfast." Felicity giggled at me, snatching up a piece of toast and chewing it remarkably loudly.

Mary nudged my shoulder gently. "You should eat something, too. The food on the plane will be awful.

"I'm not hungry," I replied quietly.

There was a short pause, then she pulled out the chair across from me and took my hands in hers. For some reason, the contact made me flinch back. Mary didn't let go. "Kelsey, if you don't want to go, I won't be upset."

I looked at her, remembering how much I'd begged her to let me go when Mr Graham had warned me a month ago that the rest of the class was going, and how much the trip cost. "I want to go," I assured her.

She grimaced. "I understand that it might be difficult, honey, I-"

"Mary, honestly," I sighed. "I'll be fine. It's just for one week, right? I'll be back before you know it." I couldn't look at her as I spoke.

The truth was, I did want to go, I just couldn't stop my stomach squirming at the thought of going back to America. Whatever had happened to me when I was a kid had obviously been traumatising enough to cause amnesia. Was it really a good idea to push things? What if I started to remember? More importantly, what if I didn't _want_ to remember?

In the end, I forced myself to eat a few slices of toast to keep Mary quiet. Felicity continued to ask questions I knew she wouldn't understand the answer to, mainly why I wanted to cross an ocean in the first place. She didn't seem to realise that there was something on the other side. Still, it kept my mind off things and gave me something to do. I was beginning to get afraid that if I stopped talking, I'd throw up.

Within half an hour, we were packing my things into the back of the chair. I'd only packed one suitcase and a bag to carry on the plane, so it didn't take long. All too soon, we were on the road and driving toward my school, where a bus would be waiting to take the class to the airport.

The ride was awful. No one said a word. Felicity had fallen asleep in the back, her teddy wrapped in her arms and her pyjamas hidden by her long coat. Mary's hands were a little too tight around the steering wheel, and I'd turned the radio on to take my mind off things. Avril Lavigne's _Runaway_ blasted back at me, so I turned it off again quickly.

We finally pulled up outside the school, and I saw Daniel already leaning against the side, his fingers tapping out a rhythm against his thigh. He nodded once when he saw me climb out of the car, jerking his head once to the side. I followed his gaze, to see Miss Ingis scowling at the car as though we'd ran over her dog. Suddenly, I wanted to get Mary and Felicity as far away from here as possible.

"You be careful," Mary told me sternly as she helped me pull my suitcase out of the boot. "And if you want to come home, all you-"

"Mary," I interrupted with a slight laugh. "I'll be fine, and I'll be back in a week. Relax."

She smiled sadly at me, stretching a hand forward and tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear. A lump formed in my throat, and a image suddenly flashed in front of my eyes. It showed a woman older than Mary by about five or six years, with waves of beautiful blonde hair and electric blue eyes. She was smiling at me, her eyes a little unfocused as she stretched forward and mimicked Mary's action. My eyes burned, and I found I had to blink furiously to stop myself crying.

"Kelsey?" Mary asked, stunned. "Kels, what's . . .?"

"Nothing," I managed to choke. "Just . . . nothing." I stopped myself telling her the truth, knowing she wouldn't take it well if she thought I was beginning to remember anything. And besides, I wasn't sure I could say it out loud anyway. I didn't want to get my hopes up, just to find out I was wrong.

"Well, if you're sure," she said slowly, pulling me into a tight hug. "Have fun. And remember, call me. Every night."

I pulled a face, but nodded at her and pulled the back door open. Carefully without waking her, I pecked Felicity's cheek with a small kiss then hauled myself back out again, snatching up my bags and waving to Mary. She sniffed as she climbed back into the front, but turned the engine back on and pulled away from the curb.

"Need a hand?" I glanced back to see Daniel stood behind me, his hand already taking my suitcase.

The twelve of us had to wait outside the school for almost twenty minutes. When it finally did arrive, it then took us over an hour to get to the airport. By the time we were actually in the air, I was completely fed up of Samantha's cackling laugh. Fortunately, the turbulence made her sick and she spent half her time in the bathroom.

I relaxed while we were on the plane, pushing the thought of our destination out of my mind and leaning back in my chair. Beside me and next to the window, Ethan was muttering under his breath, clutching the arms of his chair tightly. Daniel, who was sat on my other side, didn't look much better either. His eyebrows were pulled into a tight frown, and his eyes kept glowering out of the window.

I, on the other hand, managed to relax quite well. Everyone else seemed to be worried about the way the plane couldn't fly in a straight line, or the way it jolted up and down every now and then. But I gathered the pilot wouldn't have got the job if he didn't know what he was doing, right?

"I'm not good with heights," Ethan complained, staring out of the window at the ocean. "Not good with water, either." That was what got me. If we did crash, which I thought was highly unlikely, I wasn't so good with water either. Mind, I reckoned the impact would kill us anyway, so it didn't bother me that much.

"Relax," I instructed me. "You'll be fine." He sent me a doubtful look. "There's nothing wrong with the plane. Breathe, lean back, and stop looking out of the window." Pursing his lips, he nodded wryly, leaning back and closing his eyes tightly. I rolled my eyes.

The plane landed early for once, which considering all the turbulence, surprised everyone. The pilot was that shocked when he announced it, I couldn't understand a word with his board, Scottish accent. I followed Ethan and Daniel off the place, trying not to think about where we were as I stepped down onto the ground.

We made our way through the airport, and I found myself holding my breath as we stepped out onto the streets outside Manhattan Regional Airport. Behind me, Mr Graham was trying to talk to Miss Ingis, Samantha had recovered from her nausea and was cackling again, and some of the other kids were pointing to things and muttering as though they'd never seen a street sign before.

"You okay?" Daniel asked me with a frown. "You look like you're about to be sick."

I gulped, nodding. "I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?"

He pulled a face. "You know, what with your amnesia and everything." He said this in a very quiet voice, as though he was scared of offending me. I ignored him.

We'd been walking down the street for about five minutes when something – or rather, someone – caught my attention. The man was stood across the street, perfectly still, with his eyes fixed on us . . . or was it just me? His black hair was beginning to turn grey, and fierce, stormy eyes flashed as I met his gaze. Just looking at me made me weak at the knees with fear. Pursing his lips, he turned on his heel and marched down the street, not bothering to turn.

Shaking myself, I glanced sideways to see if anyone else had seen him. No one seemed to be bothered, but beside me, Daniel's expression had hardened, and Mr Graham's face had paled considerably.

I decided it was best not to ask.

We didn't do anything that night but go to the hotel. Mr Graham spent all evening telling us what we had planned for the next day, and running through everything they had at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Miss Ingis seemed to be trying to figure out the best way to kill me, which didn't calm me down any. Instead, it just made my night's sleep even worse.

I spent most of the night lay flat out on my back, glowering at the ceiling. When I could get to sleep, my dreams were haunted by the image of the blonde-haired-blue-eyed woman, the man I'd seen across the street with eyes like a storm, and a cold voice in a dark room. Something told me I had had that dream before, and the thought didn't help.

The next morning, the group was dragged to the museum. If I was being honest, I would have rather stayed back at the hotel, curled up into a ball and pretended the world didn't exist, but apparently, that wasn't an option. Instead, I was hauled onto the bus with Daniel and Ethan and shoved into the corner to make sure I didn't escape.

It pulled up thirty minutes later outside the museum. The moment I stepped off, the wind buffeted around me, and I blinked a few more times than necessary in surprise. Shaking myself, I reached up and wrapped my hair into a bobble.

"Mr Graham," I grimaced, muttering at him. "I'm just going to nip inside to the bathroom." He nodded at me, and I hurried inside before I burst. I searched around for a sign telling me where the toilets would be. It took me about ten minutes to find them and when I did, I was bursting. I'd just walked out the girl's bathroom when I heard a very familiar story.

"This picture depicts the Titan Kronos eating his child," a tour guide was saying. I waited a moment until the group moved away. For some reason, I found myself glancing around cautiously before I started around the corner.

Taking in as many of the pictures as I could, I strode down the hallways and deeper into the museum. When I finally stopped, I was surrounded with large statues of the twelve Olympians. Starting at the left, I walked around them all slowly, staring at each with such interest, I wondered what was wrong with me.

I stopped between Zeus and Hera. The two of them stood in the middle of the twelve. Zeus was sat upon a throne majestically, Hera likewise. I didn't know how long I stood staring, but I jumped as I heard some else coming.

Reacting on instinct, I leapt around Zeus's statue and slid to the floor, pursing my lips tightly to stop myself making any noise. I know what you're thinking. It's a museum. People are going to walk into rooms like this one. Why was I hiding? Honestly, I had no idea.

"You've been giving us problems honey," a female voice came.

"Yes, ma'am," a boy answered uncertainly. Slowly with my teeth in my bottom lip, I turned and peered around Zeus's feet. The woman stood with her back to me, but I could see the boy clearly. He was reasonably tall with black hair, tanned skin and green eyes that were tight with confusion. I pursed my lips and slipped back to the ground again, keeping my eyes on the boy.

"Did you really think you would get away with it?" the woman asked. The boy looked nervous, as though this woman was acting oddly. Suddenly, I was reminded of the conversation I had had with Miss Ingis, when she'd mentioned the gods . . . I frowned, inching away from the statue of the god of the sky.

"I'll – I'll try harder, ma'am," he said. Thunder abruptly shook the building, and I gulped hard, leaning back against the statue and closing my eyes. A throbbing pain was starting in my head behind my eyes, and a cold shiver ran down my spine. Something told me this wasn't the first time this had happened to me, but I couldn't remember enough to know the end result. Considering I couldn't remember anything at all, I figured it hadn't gone well.

"We are not fools, Percy Jackson," the woman continued, as though the thunder was nothing. "It was only a matter of time before we found you out. Confess and you will suffer less pain." I felt my jaw drop, as I double-took the comment. Was this woman serious? What the hell was wrong with her? She was threatening a small boy who couldn't have been any older than me. "Well?"

"I don't know . . ." the boy trailed. I knelt up again, ignoring the mounting pain in my forehead and peering around the corner. I felt myself go hollow as I recognised someone else. Miss Ingis was striding into the room, smiling evilly.

"Perseus Jackson," she sneered, eyes on the boy. He flinched, scowling, but her eyes drifted toward the statue of Zeus. "You can come out now, Acacia Grace."

I gasped and whipped back around, pressing further into the statue as though it would come alive and beat the two women down. Acacia Grace? I winced, a sharp pain shooting across my forehead as a flash blinded my mind. It was an image of a younger me, maybe five years old. I was stood scowling at another girl who looked a hell of a lot like me, only roughly double my age. She had short, spiky black hair and an athletic look, but she wore black, depressing clothes and had electric blue eyes.

Before I could think too much about it, Miss Ingis had me by the throat and was pulling me around the statue with amazing strength. She had the look of someone going completely insane. I gulped, suddenly realising exactly how the boy felt.

"Perhaps if you confess, Perseus Jackson, Acacia Grace will live," Miss Ingis threatened. Neither me nor Perseus Jackson moved or said a word. "If you insist, Percy Jackson." With that, I felt myself being dragged forward slightly, before being flung backwards with such speed, the air caught in my throat. My back slammed into one of the statues painfully, and a gasp slipped my lips.

"Look, I don't know what you're talking about!" Percy exclaimed loudly. "And she has nothing to do with it anyway! She can't, I don't even know her!"

"Not yet you don't," the other woman snarled. "And don't lie to us. We are not fools."

Then something strange happened. The two women began to change. Their eyes glowed into barbecue coals. Their fingers stretched, turning into talons. Their jackets melted into large, leathery wings. They looked like hags with bat wings, claws and a mouth full of yellow fangs.

The building shook with thunder again, but instead of scaring me, it felt more like a warning. I dragged myself to my feet, leaning heavily against the statue of Athena.

A yelp sounded to the side, and I spun in time to see a middle-aged man in a wheelchair skid into the entrance, yelling for Percy. He launched something through the air and Percy caught it with one hand. Both of the hag things immediately lunged at him with a screech, and before I had any time to think about it, I burst into a run, colliding with Percy and sending him crashing to the ground. The two of us narrowly avoiding the talons of the two women, and the second we hit the ground, I rolled away from him, kneeling back up.

"What the?" he muttered. In his hands, he held a bronze sword. I stared for a moment, but I had the strangest feeling I should have known this was coming.

"I'll distract them," I answered, sounding a lot more confident than I felt.

Shaking myself, I turned and raced toward the side of the room, where one of the walls looked climbable. I managed to haul myself up with remarkable ease, but behind me, one of the women hissed and flew straight at me. Mumbling an apology I didn't quite understand, I glanced back and pushed off the wall, landing awkwardly on one of the god's shoulders. Lightning ripped the sky outside, and thunder rumbled in a low growl. Glancing at the god, I realised I was stood on Poseidon, the Sea God.

"Die honey!" one woman snarled. Her other, slightly uglier half flew for Percy first, shortly followed by the first. Gulping and knowing I'd regret it later, I flung myself back, landed on the first hag's back and spun her to the ground. Her talons narrowly missed my cheek as Percy's sword sliced straight through the second. She exploded into yellow power, vaporising on the spot. I gawped, stunned. But the one I'd managed to pin shook me off easily.

I rolled away in panic. What I thought might have been Miss Ingis shrieked and plunged her talons at me. Wide-eyed, I gasped and rolled more, missing three more strikes by inches. But suddenly, I hit Percy Jackson's feet and with one slice of his sword, the monster had vaporised like the first.

There was silence for a moment. I lay with my back on the floor, eyes wide as I stared at the spot the hag had just vanished from. Percy Jackson stood above me, sword still outstretched with the look of someone who'd just been frozen. Yet again, thunder shook the whole room dangerously, and Percy shook himself roughly. His eyes found me, and with a startled look, he dropped his sword and hurriedly helped me to my feet.

"Are you alright?" he asked carefully.

"Erm, I . . ." I trailed off, rubbing my forehead with a slight frown. "What on Earth . . . ? How . . .?"

"I-I don't know," he answered uncertainly, glancing back at the spot Miss Ingis had just disappeared from.

"And what were they talking about?" I frowned, scanning him cautiously. "What did they want you to confess to?"

He shook his head at me with an oblivious look. "I have no idea! I didn't do anything!"

I stared for a moment, then shook myself roughly. "I'm outta here," I mumbled sourly, turning on my heel and striding as fast as I dared out of the room.

"Hey, wait!" Percy yelled after me, racing to catch up. "It's Acacia, right? Acacia Grace?" I winced, staggering into the wall as another shot of pain rushed across my forehead. Again, an image flashed in front of me. It showed me, older this time by a couple of years, standing at the front door and yelling something I couldn't hear.

I groaned, rubbing my forehead again. Percy had caught me and lowered me to the floor, staring at me in amazement.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I don't know," I muttered. "But I think I know someone who does." He raised an eyebrow, but pulled me to my feet again and followed me as we hurried out of the museum. To one side, my school sat eating their lunch. To the other, I gathered the group was from Percy's school.

"Are you with them?" he asked, pointing toward the Scottish kids.

I frowned slightly, nodding. "Why?"

"You don't sound Irish," he replied with a shrug.

"They're Scottish," I corrected. "And I'm not, I'm American. I just moved there a few months back."

"Miss Connor!" Mr Graham beamed, heading straight for me. That's how I knew something really was going on. He hardly ever smiled like that. "Ready?"

"No sir," I admitted, my eyebrows tightening as I scanned the area in front of us. "Erm, have you seen Miss Ingis?" He looked at me blankly, shaking his head oblivious. "Miss Ingis? The Science teacher?"

"Miss Connor, there has never been a Miss Ingis at our school." Mr Graham looked a little concerned about my mental health.

I glanced sideways at Percy, who just shrugged at me and held up a finger to tell me to wait. I pursed my lips, watching him bolt across the front entrance to his teacher, the man I had seen in the wheelchair. He gave Percy an identical look, exactly the same as I had received from Mr Graham. I frowned. Something definitely wasn't right.

Just to prove my point, the man in the wheelchair glanced back at me. The second his eyes met mine, they widened in disbelief, and his eyebrows rose so high, they disappeared into his hair line.

Damn.


	4. Chapter Three: Acacia Grace

I didn't sleep well that night. When I did sleep, I dreamt about Acacia Grace and the girl she had been with, or the woman I'd seen when I was talking to Mary, or the man with the stormy eyes, or the voice through the darkness. After waking up for the fourth time in a panic, it took a long while for me to calm down enough to slip back into a fitful sleep. Even then, it didn't last long. Eventually, I gave up completely.

Instead, I found myself thinking a lot about my family. My real family, I mean. Of course, I'd called Mary when I got back to the hotel, just like she'd asked me to. She kept asking if I was alright, and if there had been any trouble. I hated lying to her, but I couldn't help it. There was no way I could tell her that I'd been attacked by two hag ladies, and I was pretty sure I'd started to remember my old life.

The idea that my old life was coming back scared and excited me all at the same time. There was a sister, I knew there was. I'd had a sister. And the blonde woman . . . was that my mother? Just thinking about the two of them made my heart pound and my stomach turn.

The sound of someone hammering on my bedroom door made me start, shaking the thoughts of my family out of my head. I frowned, glancing sideways at the clock on the bedside table. It read three o'clock, am. Why would someone want to speak to me at three in the morning? Whoever it was knocked again, and I sighed heavily, swinging my legs off the side of the bed and stumbling to the door.

Outside, a woman I didn't recognise stood with something that looked like a tray of tea in her hands. She was wearing an odd combination of the hotel uniform and a thin leather jacket. Her name tag read _Meg_.

"Good morning," she said cheerfully, flashing a mouthful of yellowing, coffee stained teeth. "Can I offer you some tea?"

I blinked, shuffling slightly. "Erm, it's three in the morning."

"Yes?" she questioned, as though she didn't understand.

"Isn't it a little early for tea?" I grimaced.

"Not this tea, Miss," she chuckled in a sickly sweet voice that sent shudders down my spine. Before I could politely inform her that I didn't want any tea, she pushed me out of the way a little roughly and slipped past me. I blinked again, wide-eyed. "Do you take sugar and milk?"

"I don't want to sound rude," I started awkwardly.

"Then it's best you don't speak at all, Acacia Grace," Meg said, her sickly sweet voice slipping.

My blood suddenly ran cold at the mention of Acacia Grace. I wanted to say something to her, but my mouth was too dry. Instead, I watched her set the tea set on the side, before turning around to met my gaze. Her black eyes fixed on me coldly. "Now, how about we get to the point?"

"The point?" I questioned, my voice quivering.

"Don't treat me like a fool," she spat, her voice taking on a nasty edge that made me shiver on the spot. "I know who you are, _Acacia Grace._ Your dear father thought he could protect you by wiping your memory? Keeping that stupid son of Ares so close? Not to mention that ridiculous goddess of the hearth! What could _they_ do to save you? Nothing!"

My mind was reeling. Son of Ares? Goddess of the Hearth? Why was it that of everything she said, the words that sounded the strangest were _your father?_ She knew who he was? And why – how – could he have wiped my memory? What had I forgotten?

"I-I don't understand," I gulped, taking a few small steps backward.

"Of course you don't," Meg groaned, rolling her eyes at me. "You half-bloods never do at first. It just makes it all so much easier. Almost too easy." She sighed heavily, eyeing my guarded position as though she thought it was a waste of energy to bother. Then she shrugged. "Ah well. My master will be _very_ pleased when I take you to him. _Again."_

I felt my jaw hang slightly. Outside, thunder rumbled across the sky, and all too suddenly, rain splattered against the window. Meg cackled loudly, rubbing her hands together as she stared out at the horrible weather. Looking between her and the window, I realised I was in trouble. _Serious_ trouble. _Again._ Either this woman was insane, or . . . well, I didn't know. But what I did know was that I had to get out of here. Quickly.

She flashed another smile in my direction, turning her back to me to rummage for something on the tea tray behind her. The moment her eyes left me, I took my chance, bolting toward the door. In the same second, Meg shrieked and raced after me, catching me back the back of my t-shirt and yanking me back. I staggered with a yelp of surprise, falling down to the bottom of the wooden bed frame. Something in my spine cracked painful, and tears streaked down my cheeks.

"Stupid girl!" she yelled at me, but my jaw locked. I was fed up of people treating me like I was stupid, tormenting me because I couldn't remember who I was or why I was here in the first place. For once in my life, I wasn't going to sit still and take it.

The moment she stepped forward, I slammed my foot into her chest and she squealed in pain. I didn't hang around to observe the result though. Scrambling to my feet, I raced up to the door and yanked it open, staggering out into the corridor.

And right into Daniel.

"Hey!" he exclaimed, catching me carefully and pulling me to my feet. "Hey, is everything okay? What's going on?"

Behind me, I could hear Meg stumbling after me, cursing in Greek. Daniel suddenly went rigid, his grip on my arms tightening. I opened my mouth to tell him to run, but instead, he pushed me gently into the wall to the side and unclipped something that looked like a silver chain from around his wrist. As I watched, the thing seemed to grow, elongating in his hands until he held a pointy, sharp spear.

"Oh my . . ." I breathed, but Daniel gave me a dismissive wave as Meg stepped outside of the room.

Her mouth split into a nasty grin when she saw Daniel. "Ah, so you found backup. How sweet."

"Acacia, go to my room and find my backpack," Daniel instructed calmly. The name Acacia made my chest tight, but I didn't argue. "Wait for me there."

"But-"

"Acacia, just go!"

Meg cackled, her head tilting back as thunder shook the building. "You heroes. Always so self-sacrificing. It's sickening, honestly."

Daniel glowered, spinning the spear around in his hands threateningly. My jaw dropped as he flicked his eyes toward me. "Go."

I didn't argue. Instead, I backed up a few steps, unwilling to leave him alone, yet with a sudden feeling that he could handle this himself. I watched for a second or two, then shook myself and ran down the corridor, my stomach twisting.

Finding Daniel's room, I shouldered my way inside and slammed the door shut behind me, trying to calm myself down as I searched the room for his backpack. Fortunately, I didn't have to wait long for Daniel to return. The little time there was made me sick. He stumbled through the door, snapping the spear in half in one of his hands. I didn't even bother being surprised when it shrank back into a chain in his hands.

"Ready to leave?" he breathed.

I blinked. "Err, no. Dan, what's going on?"

"Not the place to discuss that," he dismissed quickly, pushing himself away from the door and snatching his backpack off the bed where I'd left it. "We need to leave, quickly. I didn't realise things were this bad."

I gulped hard, but refused to back down. "I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what's going on," I said quietly. He blinked at me, raising an eyebrow. "I'm serious, Dan. I've been almost killed twice today! I want to know what's going on!"

For a moment, he looked as though he was about to say something. Then he shook himself and pulled the backpack over his shoulder. "I'll tell you soon, but we need to hit the road." I opened my mouth with a scowl, but he cut across me. "Acacia, please, just trust me."

My forehead almost exploded in pain. "Why do you keep calling me that?" I groaned, rubbing my head irritably. He didn't answer, taking my arm and pulling me to the door.

Nobody disturbed us as we made our way through the hotel, taking an elevator to the lobby and almost tearing out of the front door at full speed. The moment we stepped out on the street, lightning crashed again, and I flinched, still holding my head. Daniel didn't let go of me, starting down the street with confident strides.

I blinked, scanning the street a little nervously. "Dan, isn't it dangerous walking around New York at night?"

He stared at me, his lips tugging into a small smirk. "No one's going to mug you, Acacia. Besides, mortals are the least of our worries." My eyes widened, because I was pretty sure he'd said mortals as though . . . well, as though he wasn't one. I couldn't find my voice to ask.

We walked through the streets for about twenty minutes, and though I had no idea where we were, Daniel seemed to know his way. Eventually, we came to a building of apartments, which he let himself into and started toward the stairs.

"Daniel, where-"

"Trust me." He kept saying that, but I was finding it hard to keep it in mind.

Still, I followed him up the stairs without a word, wringing my hands together tightly and sinking my teeth into my bottom lip nervously as he came to one of the apartments. I expected him to knock on the door, but instead, he dipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out a set of keys. Blinking, I watched him pick one of the keys and unlock the door.

"Mum!" Daniel shouted as we stepped inside. Again, my jaw dropped in shock. Didn't Daniel live in Scotland, you know, where he went to school? "Hey, Mum!"

"Daniel!" a woman gasped, stumbling out of her room as she wrapped a dressing gown around herself tightly. She was a tall, athletic woman with bleach blonde hair and an attractive tan. She beamed when she saw Dan, hurrying forward and hauling him into a hug. "I didn't expect you back so soon!"

"I told you I'd call in, Mum," Daniel muttered, pulling himself out of his mother's grasp with a reluctant expression.

"Yes, but it's four in the morning," she breathed, her eyes scanning his appearance. Then she caught sight of me and her eyes widened. "Oh, you must be Acacia Grace!"

I grimaced, refraining from flinching again. "That's what I'm thinking."

She didn't seem to hear the sarcasm in my voice, taking my shoulders gently and taking me through to the living room, setting me cautiously on the end of the sofa as though she thought I might break. "You look shattered," she told me, scolding me like Mary sometimes did.

My throat tightened. "I'm fine," I lied.

"Mum, I just need to pick up some stuff," Daniel said. "Then we need to leave."

She glanced back at her son, her eyes glistening. "Can't it wait until morning, Dan?" she said hopefully. "Look at the poor girl!" I wanted to argue with her, but I knew I looked a wreck.

"Mum, you know camp is the best place for her," he moaned with a roll of his eyes. "Besides, she isn't going to feel any better until she gets some answers."

"Fine," she said, pushing herself abruptly to her feet. "Then you answer some of her questions, and I'll get her some fresh clothes. I'm sure your sister won't mind her borrowing a few things."

Daniel frowned. "Mum-"

"No, Dan, no arguing," she interrupted. "The poor girl looks scared out of her mind! She's still in her pyjamas!" He flicked his eyes to me uncertainly, and I found myself wishing I was invisible, staring down at my checked pyjama trousers. Pulling a face, he sighed heavily.

"Okay," he said, slumping into the chair opposite me. "I'll answer your questions. But only some of them! There's a limit to the amount of those things the two of us can deal with, and the more you know, the quicker they all find you." His mother beamed, patting my hand delicately and hurrying through the one of the back bedrooms.

I pursed my lips. "That's your Mum?"

He snorted. "All of the questions you have, and _that's_ the one you ask first?" I didn't reply, and he sighed. "Yes. That's my Mum. Her name's Sarah."

"I thought you lived in Scotland?"

He raised an eyebrow at me. "No. I was there for you."

That made me pause and rethink my next question. Everything that had happened for the past few days raced around my head; the women in the museum, Percy Jackson, the strange dreams, the hotel worker Meg, and a best friend that had a chain that turned into a spear when he took it off.

Then I tried to remember if there was any time in the past couple of days that I might have hit my head. There wasn't.

I shuffled. "Are you sure your sister won't mind me borrowing her clothes?"

Daniel laughed. "Seriously, Acacia, you really need to sort out your priorities. But no, Ilsa won't mind. And she's only my half-sister really. Her dad, Derek . . . well, it's a little awkward. He doesn't really like me very much."

"Because you're a son of Ares, you mean?"

The words had blurted out before I could stop them, and Daniel immediately went rigid on the spot, staring up at me with a blank expression. My stomach squirmed and for a second, I thought – even hoped – that he'd tell me I was being ridiculous. Ares was a Greek god, a myth. He couldn't have a son, not really.

Instead, he straightened out very slowly, his eyebrows tightening a fraction. "How did you know that?" he questioned, his voice so low it almost scared me.

I felt my heart sink. It was true . . . how could that be possible?

"Tell me what's going on," I demanded, somehow sounding an awful lot braver than I felt. Daniel's eyes narrowed. "You're dragging me away to some . . . camp I don't know – away from Mary and Felicity – and I think I ought to know why."

"The idea of monsters chasing you until you're dead isn't enough?" he asked, a little harshly.

I flinched. "No, actually, it isn't. I want to know the truth. Why are they after me? What camp do you mean? And why did that hotel worker say that my father had wiped my memory?"

I watched as he physically sank to the ground, leaning back on the sofa with his face pale and his eyes shut tight, cursing in what I thought was Ancient Greek quietly. "Gods, how much did that thing tell you?" he groaned, rubbing his face wearily.

I shifted uncomfortably at his sudden change, unable to stop myself realising that – despite he was apparently the son of a war god – I was the one making demands. Pursing my lips, I lowered myself down opposite him with shaking hands. "I-I don't really know," I mumbled honestly. "She mentioned something about the goddess of the hearth . . . isn't that Hestia in Greek myth?"

Daniel gulped. "What else did she say?" he persisted, ignoring my question.

"That my f-father thought he could protect me by keeping you around and wiping my memory." My voice broke slightly on the word father. The idea that he was out there, that he knew I had no memory, no family and no life made my eyes burn.

Daniel seemed to realise that the topic hit too close to home. He shuffled awkwardly on the spot. "Look, as hard as it is to see right now, your father went to extreme measures to keep you safe, measures that he shouldn't have even considered, let alone put into action. He angered a lot of other . . . _people_ by doing so."

I scanned his expression. "You know who he is?"

He grimaced, shaking his head a little reluctantly. "No. Hestia does, but she'd never tell you. In fact, if she's heard about what happened back at your place, she's probably already gone. Her job's done, now it's my turn. I have to get you to that camp, Acacia. It's called Camp Half-Blood. You'll find all the answers you're looking for there."

"Half-blood . . . what's that mean?" I looked up and met his gaze again, and he stared back at me with a hard look, as though waiting for me to figure it out.

But I already had. I just didn't want to admit it.

"Guess we'd better leave," I muttered, pushing myself up off the ground. He grimaced at me, clambering to his feet as his Mum, Sarah, stepped into the room. She was holding a backpack, a pair of jeans and a red polo shirt.

"Isla's a little younger than you," she said slowly, holding out the jeans in front of her as though measuring me with her eyes. "But she's about your size. Here you go. There's a bathroom just down the hall on the left."

"Thanks," I said with a tight smile.

"Hey, take this too," Daniel insisted, dipping his hand into the backpack and pulling out a small chain out of the front pocket. I held out my hand, but he grimaced, his hand hovering over mine. "Really don't want to do this," he muttered. "But there's no other option, so they'll have to deal with it."

"I beg your pardon?" I asked slowly, but he ignored the question and dropped the chain into my palm. I glanced down to see a small, golden locket sprawled out across my skin.

"Put that on," he instructed. "And if any of the Apollo kids ask you about it, you had no choice, I forced you, you don't know what it is, and you're very, _very_ sorry."

"What?" I breathed.

He opened his mouth like he was going to answer, then thought better of it. "Actually, it'll be easier if you don't _really_ know why you're not supposed to wear it."

Without thinking, I dropped it and flinched back. Immediately, Daniel cursed loudly in Ancient Greek again. Behind him, Sarah blinked, paling a fraction.

Outside, thunder rumbled angrily.

"I'm sorry!" I winced, clamping my hands over my mouth. "You just said I'm not supposed to wear it, and I freaked out!"

"Why?" Daniel blinked, astounded.

"Weird women keep trying to kill me!" I replied shakily. "And then you go all . . . weird, what did you expect! I'm freaking out over here, Dan!"

He sighed heavily, quickly stooping to snatch the locket back up. He took my hand and dropped it onto my palm again. "Calm down, Acacia," he instructed. "Trust me."

Pursing my lips, I turned the locket over in my hand. The golden metal glistened brightly, despite the fact the only light in the room came from a tiny lamp in the corner. On its front, a bow and arrow had been engraved across the gold. On the back, the Greek name _Ἀπ__όλλων_ labelled the back.

"Apollo," I translated out loud, a little surprised I'd managed it, but more surprised that I wasn't entirely shocked I could in the first place.

Daniel grimaced. "Yeah, not exactly perfect, all things considered, but it'll have to do for now. But when we get to camp, don't tell any of them you've used it. They're a little touchy about it, though no one exactly knows why."

I gulped hard, but nodded slowly and headed toward the bathroom Sarah had pointed out. Inside, I leant against the door heavily, trying to regulate my breathing. All this talk of gods, half-bloods and monsters was making my head spin. It all sounded so . . . well, false. The Greek gods were a myth . . . weren't they? They were supposed to be, but Daniel seemed to think he was the son of the war god, and he spoke about the goddess Hestia as though he'd already met her. Oh, and I now seemed to be in the possession of a locket belonging to the god of . . . prophecy, was it? Or music? _And_ music? I couldn't remember. All I did know was that everyone seemed to believe the myth of the Greek gods wasn't really a myth at all . . . and I was in danger.

I shook the thoughts away. Whatever was going on here, panicking wasn't going to do any good. Pursing my lips tightly, I changed as quickly as I could, hesitating when I came to the locket. The gold was still shining too brightly, and a sudden urge to hide it and leave it alone swept through me, so strong I almost did just that. But I was being stupid. It was just a locket. How much damage could it go?

Shaking myself, I snatched it up and hurriedly clipped it around my neck. The moment the metal touched my skin, a shudder ran down my spine and my stomach twisted so violently, I choked out loud.

"Acacia!" Daniel called loudly. "You alright?"

I gulped, hurrying out of the bathroom and smiling at him. "Yeah, I'm fine," I dismissed, unable to stop my fingers running softly over the chain. "Let's just . . . go, right?"

He hesitated, frowning at the locket for a moment. "Right," he agreed slowly, jerking his head to the door. "Come on then."

Sarah sniffed. "Be careful. The two of you." I grimaced at her, but Daniel allowed her to give him a quick hug.

"I'll be back at the end of the summer," he told her with a stern nod, before pushing the front door open and letting me out.

Neither of us spoke as we hurried back outside. Daniel hailed a taxi, as good as shoving me into the back seat before clambering in beside me and mumbling an address at the driver. The only words I could catch were 'Long Island', and the driver didn't seem particularly impressed.

"Kid, if you're messing me about," he warned. "There's nothing out there."

"I didn't ask for an opinion, I asked you to drive," Daniel replied coolly. The driver's face contorted in irritation and his eyes flashed in anger. I could see Daniel getting steadily more annoyed at the man, and keeping in mind that this guy was supposed to be part-war god, I snatched a few notes of money out Daniel's hand and shoved them at the driver.

"Does it really matter to you?" I asked carefully. "All you have to do is drive us there, and leave. We are still paying you."

He frowned at me, scoffing. "You should let your little girlfriend do the talking, kid," he snapped back at Daniel. "More people skills."

Daniel's fist clenched, but I shook my head at him pleadingly as the driver pulled away from the curb. I slipped into the corner of the seat, pursing my lips tightly and folding my arms over my chest to stop myself throwing up.

I wanted to go to sleep, but I was scared of what I'd see. My sister? Glancing sideways at Daniel, I almost asked him if he knew about my family. He'd been sent to Scotland to keep an eye on me, so someone must have realised that I was in danger. Did that mean she was too? Had anyone told her? The questions longed to blurt from my mouth, but I was worried about what else might follow. I figured my best chance for answers was to wait, like Daniel had said. Usually, that wouldn't have been a problem. But today, I was so impatient, my fingers kept drumming on my knees anxiously.

It took longer than I thought it should have done for the car to reach its destination. It pulled up at the bottom of a large hill, on top of which I thought I could make out a huge pine tree standing boldly against the moon in the midnight sky. As I pushed the door open, the driver turned back around to face Daniel with a smug smile.

"See? Nothing," he declared.

"Thanks," Daniel scowled through gritted teeth, throwing more money at him and slamming the door shut as he stepped outside. The driver scoffed, but pulled away and turned back to the road. Rolling his eyes, Daniel jerked his head toward the hill. "Come on. It's just over here."

I was about to ask if he was sure, because it looked to me like he was lost. But I clamped my mouth shut and followed him up the hill ominously. It wasn't until we reached the top that I realised he'd been right all along. At the bottom of the hill in front of us, a large valley was nestled at the side of a large forest. Directly at the base of the hill, a tall building stood proudly, with lights shining brightly in some of its windows.

"This is Camp Half-Blood?" I clarified in a quiet voice. Daniel tore his eyes off the pine tree to the left, nodding mutely without meeting my gaze. Just as I was about to ask what was wrong, something behind us crashed loudly.

I spun on my heel, Daniel automatically flinching in front of me and grabbing the chain on his wrist. But whatever had made the noise, I couldn't see it. I bit my bottom lip, trying desperately to see through the darkness, but it was useless.

"You think there's someone down there?" I asked Daniel carefully.

He frowned. "Bad timing if there is."

The two of us waited, staring at the bottom of the hill as though we were expecting a stampede. Honestly, I think Daniel was. Before long, I could feel gazes burning my back, and I glanced over to see three kids, two of them not much older than me, standing to the bottom of the hill and staring up at us like we were mad. I could just about make out one girl with blonde hair, a guy with sandy hair and surfer look, and another, older guy with a stern expression.

"Erm, Daniel?" I started, nudging him.

"You're right," he said, and I blinked. I hadn't realised I'd made a statement. "There's someone down there."

My stomach dropped through the ground, and I followed his gaze to see three tiny figures. The middle one seemed to be unconscious, and the others were dragging it up the hill desperately. Before I could question out loud what had happened to them, something roared in the distance – a low rumbling sound that made my chest clench.

"We have to help them," I said, starting forward.

Daniel caught my arm tightly, just as someone behind us yelled. "Hey, what in the name of the gods are you guys doing?"

I met Daniel's gaze, frowning as I yanked my arm back irritably. "We can't just leave them." He opened his mouth to say something, but a sudden snarling met my ears.

Daniel immediately dragged me behind him, spear in hand once again. My own hand flinched toward my neck, but I held myself back, staring in mixture of amazement and fear. Four beastly hounds, all the size of rhinos, were creeping along the floor toward us, their eyes like lava and fangs like daggers.

Gritting my teeth, I prized the locket open and staggered with a gasp as something wrapped tightly around my chest. Something heavy felt like it had been weighted on my back, and it took me a few seconds to realise it had. A bow and quiver had replaced the light locket, and it suddenly struck me that having a weapon was all well and good, but if you didn't know how to use it, it was pointless.

"Don't think about it," Daniel instructed over his shoulder, reading my expression. I nodded in a determination I didn't quite understand, pulling the bow off my shoulders. "You can do this," he told me sternly.

"You have more faith than I do," I muttered back, somehow managing to string the bow and slip an arrow into position with very little thought. That gave me a bit more courage, but as the hounds neared, it dwindled drastically.

Spinning his spear, Daniel jerked forward as the first hound leapt into the air with a snarl. One of the kids behind me yelped in surprise, and I heard them scrambling to help, but the second had already turned on me.

Before I could think too much about it, I took aim with a deep breath, releasing almost instantly. It snarled and leapt at my throat, just as the arrow slammed into its chest. With a shocked squeal, it exploded into a cloud of yellow dust.

I couldn't move for a moment, staring at the spot it had just vanished from. This was actually happening . . . I'd just shot a hound with an arrow and killed it . . .

"ACACIA!" Daniel yelled, and I shook myself with a gasp as I watched him drop to the ground and jab his spear at one of the hounds at it leapt through the air. Just like mine had, it blew up into a cloud of dust.

Gulping hard, I aimed quickly and shot another arrow at the nearest hound, not bothering to see if it hit before I clamped a hand around Daniel's shoulder, pulling him back. The two of us staggered back, but there was still two left. The quicker I got rid of both of them, the better.

Taking yet another deep breath, I steeled myself and pulled the arrow back, taking aim. The first slipped within biting distance, just as I released it. The arrow whistled through the air and slammed straight into the beast's mouth. It's eyes wide and a shrill whine just managed to slip it's lip before it burst into dust.

The only problem was, through the dust, I didn't see the other lunging for me.

It's front paws collided heavily with my shoulders, and I crashed to the ground, my head bouncing back up painfully. A yelp of shocked pain tore from my throat, and agonised tears slipped down my cheeks. The beast's hot breath ran across my skin, the power of its jump sending it flying over my head. Without even thinking about the agony racing down my neck, I rolled over onto my knees, arming yet another arrow and firing. This time, it slammed into the beast's head, right between the eyes.

I sighed heavily as silence fell around me, my eyelids drooping dangerously. "Acacia!" Daniel exclaimed, bolting toward me and catching me before I collapsed to the ground.

"Acacia?" another stunned voice came as the three kids finally reached the top of the hill.

Behind me, I heard another loud rumble, just like the first – loud and dangerous. "Hey, there's more kids down there," a different voice came.

"Hey, is that girl wearing our locket?" the last asked, stunned.

I didn't have time to defend myself. I could feel blood trickling down the back of my neck, and before I knew what was happening, black spots appeared in front of my eyes and I slipped out of consciousness.


	5. Chapter Four: First Impressions

Lights flickered in front of me, and I groaned, lifting a hand to my forehead groggily. Something shuffled beside me, and low, murmured voices met my ears. I tried to open my eyes properly, but the harsh light hurt too much. I twisted with the sudden feeling that I must have been lay in bed. Sheets tangled around my legs as I buried my face into a pillow, attempting to slowly adjust to the light.

"Miss Grace?" a soft voice came. "Miss Grace, can you hear me?"

I didn't reply. Yet again, I wasn't sure if I trusted myself not to throw up. It was becoming so much of a habit, I ironically felt sick just thinking about it.

A sigh of frustration sounded, a little further away. "This is useless, just let me-"

"No," someone else barked sharply, and the man's voice made my head rattle painfully. I flinched, pushing myself further into the pillows with a tight frown. There was a moment of silence. "You shouldn't even be here," the third man continued. "If Zeus knew-"

"Fine," the second guy snapped, sounding oddly like a moaning child. "I'll leave. But you know she'd be on her feet quicker if I helped."

The first, softer voice sighed heavily. "I believe Dionysus is right," he said carefully. "I'm sure you could heal Acacia better than anyone-"

"You _know_ I could," the guy interrupted.

"Be that as it may," the first continued. "Perhaps she is better off without your . . . err,_ help_, at least for the time being."

A heavier silence followed this time, and I couldn't help it anymore. I needed to know what these people were talking about. I didn't even know who they were. Ignoring the pain in my head, I rolled back onto my back with a wince, and opened my eyes.

"Miss Grace?" the first man asked again, and a door slammed to the side. I flinched again, glancing between the two men left in the room. The first one was sat in a wheelchair beside my bed, his expression concerned and worried. He was a middle-aged man, with eyes that seemed a thousand years old. He smiled as I met his gaze cautiously. "It's good to see you awake, Miss Grace. When we saw all that blood . . ." He trailed off, as if he was remembering something he wished he could forget. "Well, we thought the worst for a moment."

"Yes, yes, all very touching," the other man sighed. He was a short, plump man, with a slightly taunt face and unfocused eyes. His black hair was so dark, it looked almost purple, and he wore a horrible print shirt that made me think of seriously embarrassing Dads at the beach. He sighed, glowering at me. "Welcome to Camp Half-Blood, Acacia Grace. Don't expect me to be happy to see you awake. One more demigod to keep in line."

I stared at him in disbelief for a moment, but decided it was probably best not to argue. "Erm, was there someone else in here a minute ago?" I asked cautiously, clearing my throat with another wince.

The first man shifted in his wheelchair, glancing cautiously at the other. He just snorted and strode out of the room, muttering about curiosity and cats. The guy in the wheelchair sighed. "Yes, there was, but it's nothing to worry about," he said, his expression implying the exact opposite.

I took a deep breath, pushing myself up slowly and scanning the room I was in. A lot of beds seemed to be spread out, each with clean sheets and a small table laid out with a bottle of green liquid and glass sat beside them all. "Where am I?" I blinked.

"This is the infirmary," the man told me. "In the Big House at Camp Half-Blood. You've been here for four days. Even Mr Jackson woke before you did."

I stared. "Percy Jackson is here?"

The man nodded, smiling wearily. "After the incident at the museum, it was only ever going to be a matter of time before the two of you ended up here. To be honest, I was surprised to see you there. It seems someone failed to warn me your school was on a trip."

"Wait," I frowned. "You're that teacher Percy was with, right? I thought I recognised you!"

He chuckled, stretching out a hand. "My name is Chiron," he told me. "The other man you just saw is Mr D, the camp director."

"Short for Dionysus?" I guessed, and thunder rumbled outside.

Chiron grimaced. "Mr D is fine," he corrected. "Names have power. It's a bad idea to address gods, or even monsters, by their real names. Unless, of course, you find yourself in a direct conversation with one, which is somewhat rare."

"Is that a good thing?"

He smiled tightly. "Most of the time, yes." He took a deep breath, wheeling himself toward the end of my bed. "Do you think you're up to a walk? There is a lot we need to talk about."

I remembered the dreams I had had, and the things Meg the monster had told me. Pursing my lips, I nodded and swung my legs off the bed, cautiously getting to my feet. I swayed slightly, and Chiron flinched, but I took a deep breath and composed myself. "I'm fine," I told him uncertainly. His eyes shone as he nodded at me, leading the way out of the room.

Outside, we stepped onto a porch that wrapped all the way around the house. Though the sun shone brightly in the sky above me, a shiver ran down my spine as the summer breeze drifted around me. I gazed out over the valley, where kids of roughly my age were playing basketball, or practising at an archery range, or launching javelins through the air, or trying to kill each other with swords.

It took me a moment or two to process everything, but when I turned back to Chiron, I almost fainted again.

The wheelchair had gone, and he was stood straight and proud. But, just like the boy I'd seen Percy Jackson dragging up the hill, he didn't have human legs. Unlike the boy however, Chiron was half horse. His upper body was still that of a man, exactly as it had been in his wheelchair, only now, where his hips and legs were supposed to start, there the body of a white stallion.

He smiled when he saw me blink in shock, flicking his tail. I shook myself, trying to get to grips with everything, but moving so much so quickly made me stagger. Chiron started forward to steady me, but someone behind me had already taken my elbows, steadying me.

"Acacia," Daniel winked, smirking slightly at me as I composed myself again and pulled away from him. "You're up."

"For now," I commented with a gulp. "Can someone _please_ explain what on Earth is going on? You're. . ." I turned back to Chiron, unable to stop myself pointing at his half of a horse.

Fortunately, he chuckled at me. "A centaur," he said. "Yes."

I frowned. "Are you . . . are you actually _the_ Chiron? As in, the one from the Greek myths?"

He laughed again, nodding. "I suppose you could say that. Although, I don't think they're myths if they are real stories, do you?" I let out a stunned whimper in reply. Something about me seemed to make Chiron nervous, as though he thought if I couldn't handle this, I was in for a serious surprise in a moment. Something told me he was right.

"Do you want me to show her around, Chiron?" Daniel offered.

"No, no," Chiron grimaced. "I think I'd better do it. But if you could go and let Luke know, she'll need a space in Cabin Eleven tonight." Daniel nodded, winking at me once more, then stepping off the porch and racing away.

"Erm, Chiron?" I started with a gulp. He raised an eyebrow at me. "Is everything you're going to tell me this hard to digest?"

He stared at me, and a look of such sadness passed over his face, I thought I might have actually started crying on the spot. "Acacia," he breathed, his voice so soft I could barely hear it. "There is a lot you must know, and none of it easy. It will be hard, but you must know. I fear your life may depend on it."

I didn't reply immediately, and when I did, I couldn't stop my voice quivering. "So, that's a yes then?" He smiled sadly, placing a hand on my shoulder and steering me toward the hill Daniel and I had climbed four days ago.

He didn't say anything until we reached the top, a place I didn't particularly want to be. I was pretty sure the red patch I could see was actually my blood. My hand flinched toward my neck again, to find that the locket was still wrapped securely in place. It surprised me a little. I remembered one of the guys who'd found Daniel and I commenting on it. Hadn't he thought to take it back? I made a mental note to found out who it was and return it.

Chiron had stopped by the large, pine tree, staring at it a distraught look I didn't understand. His eyes flicked back toward me, and he sighed heavily. "Acacia, do you remember anything about your childhood?"

My throat closed up, and I dropped my gaze to the ground with a small shrug. "Flashes," I admitted quietly.

Chiron waited patiently for me to elaborate, but I couldn't. His lips pursed. "You were only four years old when your older sister, Thalia, ran away from home. Do you remember that?"

An image burst into my head at the mention of Thalia; she was about nine years old, with spiky black hair and electric blue eyes. I gulped hard. "Yes," I admitted, still not looking at him.

He let out a low breath I hadn't realised he was holding back. "And you remember nothing after that?" I shook my head. "Acacia, your father wiped your memory for a reason. It's hard to explain, but you and your sister were in an enormous amount of danger. Part of the reason she left was to protect you."

"Where is-" I cut off, realising that in this situation, there was only one possible outcome. The look Chiron gave me was unmistakeable. I had to gulp hard to find my voice again. "W-What happened?"

He took a deep breath. "Thalia met two others on her journey," he said quietly. "Annabeth Chase and Luke Castellan. Both of them were there the night you arrived. They came here with Thalia, but when they got here, the three were overrun with monsters. She . . . she sacrificed herself to save the others."

I didn't realise there were tears in my eyes until they were streaming down my cheeks. On automatic reaction, I sniffed loudly and wiped the tears away with the back of my sleeve.

Chiron sighed, staring back at the pine tree again. "Her father took pity of her as she died and turned her into this tree. It now protects our borders and stops any monsters from attacking us."

I wanted to scream. I wanted to yell about how I didn't care about the borders of camp. I wanted to point out that they managed perfectly fine before, and that I needed my sister back. I wanted to shout that this was our fathers fault, if our father was even the same man. I wanted to kick, scream and cry until I couldn't move anymore.

But I couldn't move to begin with. I couldn't even speak. I just stared at the pine tree in front of me, stood tall and perfect against the night sky, tears streaming down my cheeks.

Chiron's eyes bored into me, and his expression looked that distressed, I wished he'd look anywhere but at me. "I'm sorry, Acacia," he mumbled carefully.

I shook my head at me, blinking furiously.

He hesitated, then stepped closer and patted my shoulder awkwardly. "Acacia, I – there is more that you should know, but if I want me to leave you be for now, to grieve, I-"

"No," I managed to choke, sniffing loudly. "Just g-get it over with."

I thought he might actually cry as he looked down at me, but he nodded once and cleared his throat. When he started talking, he said everything quickly and without emotion, as though it was easier for us both that way. He was right. "Four years ago, after Thalia had died, you . . . you were hunted down. Lord Hades – he took great insult at your birth. Your mother, who had already lost t-one of her children, was very reluctant to see you leave. Out of family loyalty and love for your mother, you remained at her side. Unfortunately, you were attacked a lot because of it. No one believed you could last for three whole years alone like that. Eventually though, you were kidnapped and taken to the Underworld. No one knows what happened down there, but whatever it was . . . your father was furious. Persephone managed to convince Hades to release you to avoid a war, but Zeus demanded your memory be wiped and for you to be sent out of the country. The rest, I'm sure you remember."

I tried to talk, but I couldn't find my voice. All of what he said seemed to hold some sort of meaning to me, but I couldn't remember. After hearing all that, I wasn't sure I wanted to.

And still, the only thing I cared about was Thalia.

Again, Chiron patted my shoulder with a loud gulp and turned back down the hill, leaving me only. I didn't move for a long time, and when I finally did, my hands were shaking at my sides. Breaking out into fresh tears, I slumped to the bottom of the tree and pulled my legs up to my chest, letting my hair fall in front of my face.

I wasn't sure how long I sat there, but my throat had long since run dry and my eyes were sore and irritated. But no matter how bad it made me feel, I didn't stop crying. I cried for Thalia, for the mother I couldn't remember, the father I couldn't help but hate, and the younger me, who put up with so much just for it all to come to such a horrible ending. I cried for things I didn't realise had upset me so much, like sudden longing to run back home to Scotland, or the irritating urge I had to clamp my hands around the locket that didn't belong to me and never let go.

I didn't stop or look up until I heard someone sit down opposite me with a soft thump. Even then, it took a few minutes before I felt any desire to move.

The guy stared at me with an expression I couldn't read. He looked about nineteen, with salt-and-pepper hair, piercing blue eyes and a sporty look. He wore an orange top that read CAMP HALF-BLOOD, and combat shorts that stopped at his knees. A long scar ran down one of his cheeks, from the bottom of his eye to his jaw line.

I sniffed, wiping my eyes and straightening out. "Can I help you?"

His lips twitched sadly. "You're a lot like her, you know," he muttered, jerking his head toward the tree behind me. My lips pursed. "Not just in looks, either. Dan said you were softer than he thought you would be, a lot more laid-back. But you look like you can be just as stubborn when you have to be."

I frowned at him, about to demand who he was, when it clicked. "You're Luke Castellan," I told him, and he laughed, nodding.

"Yeap, afraid so," he grimaced. "And you're Acacia Grace, Thalia's little sister."

"Acacia's fine," I said, a little shortly.

He smiled, his eyes flicking upward slightly, staring at a spot above my head. "Can I presume you have the same father?"

I found myself scowling at him, pushing myself to my feet and dusting myself off. "Presume what you want," I replied coolly. "I don't really care."

As I started back down the hill, Luke leapt to his feet and followed me. "Hey! How about a tour of the camp?"

"How about you leave me alone?"

Luke winced. "You realise I'm the Counsellor of your cabin right now?"

"Don't care."

"You probably should." I pursed my lips. Thing was, I probably would be in awhile. Right now, I was too angry. "Acacia, I get that this is hard-"

"No!" I almost screamed, wheeling around and pushing him back so hard, he staggered, catching himself with one hand before he collapsed to the ground. Some of the other campers went rigid, turning to gawp as us. "You have no _idea_ how hard it is. Don't even pretend to get it! And the last thing I want is you anywhere near me. I'm not Thalia, and I never will be."

"I never said you were!" he breathed, wide eyed. "Look, I'm sorry if I upset you, but-"

"Don't you get it?" I spat. "I don't want to talk to you, I don't want to know you, and I certainly don't need your sympathy, so back off!"

He blinked in amazement. "Acac-"

Before he could say anything else, someone hurriedly slipped between us. "I don't think that's a good idea," Percy Jackson grimaced at him, hovering as close to me as he dared. Luke glanced between the two of us, then held his hands out in surrender. Percy peered at me cautiously. "Erm, how about I show you to the archery range? You know, work off some . . . _emotions._" He said it like he was scared to tell me I was angry. Not trusting myself to speak, I nodded once and followed him away, ignoring the stares I received as we moved.

It didn't take long for us to reach the archery range, but I'd already started to calm down as we came to a halt. Sighing heavily, I leant against the fence, casting a sideways glance at Percy. "Thanks," I muttered. "You know, for-"

"Forget about it," he dismissed. He hesitated a moment, then frowned at me in surprise, like he'd just realised what he'd said. "I didn't mean . . . you know, with your memory and everything-" He cut off in surprise when I burst out laughing.

"I'm sorry," I breathed between chuckles as he blinked at me. "Oh, that wasn't funny."

His lips twitched in confusion. "Err, okay." I took a deep breath, calming myself down and staring across the archery range at the target. At the sight, my hand flinched toward the locket around my neck.

Gulping hard, I turned back to Percy. "Actually, you don't know who else was on that hill when I got here, do you?"

He frowned slightly. "Erm, Annabeth Chase was there," he commented, and my stomach twisted.

"Not her," I said before I could think about it, shaking my head.

Percy's eyebrows rose, but he didn't argue. "Other than me, you, Grover and Daniel, there was only Annabeth, Luke and . . . err, Lee, I think. Lee Fletcher. Annabeth said he was one of Apollo's kids."

"Do you know where I can find him?"

He shrugged. "Apollo's cabin, I guess. If not, someone there might know where he is."

I blinked at him, pulling a face. "Apollo's cabin?"

"I'll show you where it is, but you should probably get someone to show you around," he grimaced. I didn't say anything, turning and following him away from the archery range again. He pointed out a couple of the important places, like the sword arena, or the dining pavilion. Other than that, he didn't seem to know where anything else was.

Finally, we came to a large common area, where cabins of all different shapes and sizes were arranged in a 'U' shape around the edge. Percy was just explaining how each one housed the children of a different Olympian god – unless the one in question didn't have children, in which case it was purely honorary – when someone yelled something to the side. The two of us spun, and I blinking in surprise when a huge, overly muscular girl marched toward us furiously. Her hair was pulled back tightly, and I was pretty sure that Percy and I put together couldn't have matched the sheer size of her muscles.

"You the new kid?" she barked at me, and Percy snorted next to me.

"Want to go down that road again?" he asked with a small smirk. I didn't understand what he meant, but the girl literally trembled with anger.

"Push me further," she warned through her teeth. "Just a little, I dare you."

Percy opened his mouth, but I held out a hand and shot him a silencing look. "Yes, I'm the new kid," I told her. "Is there something I can do for you?"

She scoffed like the question offended her. "You? Why would I want anything from _you?_ All I'm saying is keep away from the punk next to you, unless you want to end up in the same situation."

I blinked, and Percy's jaw locked. "Thanks for the warning," I said slowly. "But if you don't mind, I have someone else to talk to."

The girl's eyes flashed dangerously, but I turned and walked away. Fortunately, the Apollo cabin wasn't hard to pick out. It was made of a similar golden metal as the locket I was wearing, and the light shone off it just as much. Percy kept in line with me, smirking slightly "You realise she's gonna hate you now, right?"

"Who is she?" I frowned.

He shrugged. "Some Ares camper who likes to bully new kids."

I couldn't help smiling as I raised an eyebrow at him. "Really? Dare I ask how you know that?"

His smirk widened a fraction, but something that looked like worried uncertainty flickered across his expression. "Not really sure how to explain that one," he admitted with another shrug. "Besides, shouldn't you be finding Lee?"

My smile faltered, but I nodded and stepped closer to the overly-bright cabin. Stopping outside the door, I raised a fist and knocked cautiously.

A boy about fifteen years old pulled the door open, a little flustered. He had ruffled, sandy hair and bright blue eyes, his skin heavily tanned. Like all the other kids here, he had an athletic build, wearing an orange CAMP HALF-BLOOD shirt. He frowned a little as he looked at me, then shook himself as though he realised what he was doing this.

"Hi," he greeted. "You new?"

I nodded. "Yeah. My name's Acacia. I'm looking for Lee Fletcher?"

The boy's eyes widened at the sound of my name, and his eyes automatically flicked down to the locket around my neck. "He's out in the forest with a few others, being an idiot, as usual. Did you want him for anything in particular?"

My hand flinched toward the locket again, but I shook my head. The boy's eyebrows rose, and he sighed heavily. "Look, if this is about the locket, forget it," he grimaced. "You killed three hellhounds the other day, one after sustaining a blow to the head that would have knocked out most half-bloods for weeks. If ever there was someone that earned the right to use it, it was you."

I stared for a second, oddly relieved. "But . . . there was only three," I said slowly.

His lips twitched into a smile. "Ever heard the saying it's quality, not quantity? Besides, it's not my call. It's not even Lee's."

"Then who?" I asked.

He smirked, pointing at the sky. "Orders from above. Congratulations. You just impressed a god."


	6. Chapter Five: The Daughter Of A God

Rumours about my past, my sister, and my locket circled for days after I finally got out of the Big House. I moved into Cabin Eleven with Percy, Luke and the other Hermes kids, and settled into a reasonable routine.

Every morning, I woke up and went to breakfast. I sat beside Percy, the only camper that didn't look at me strange, or ask me how I was still alive. Then I had archery with Chiron and the Apollo cabin, who all insisted on helping me perfect my aim and stance. This was followed by foot-racing with Percy and the naiads, which I appeared to excel at, along with the climbing wall. Luckily, I was also with Percy when we tried canoeing. He laughed loudly and pulled me out of the water when I managed to capsize in the first five minutes.

However, the only sessions I had any real trouble with were Ancient Greek and sword practice. Typically, the first was taught by Annabeth, and the latter was instructed by Luke. Both were the only two people I _really_ didn't want to see.

On the Friday evening, Annabeth had decided that she was too busy training her cabin for the Capture the Flag game the next day to teach me Ancient Greek. Instead, Chiron took the session. I wasn't sure whether that was a good or bad thing. He was a lot stricter, and the questions he asked where much harder. Not only did he expect me to remember every god, goddess and monster, he was determined to teach me about the Titans and everything they'd done wrong. Honestly, I couldn't even say half of their names, let alone remember what they'd done wrong.

When I got confused between Kronos and Krios for the tenth time in the same few minutes, Chiron sighed heavily and decided it was probably time for me to head back to the cabins before curfew. Unfortunately, there was one question that wouldn't let me rest. It had been bugging me for days, but every time I thought about asking him, there were always others there to get in the way.

"Chiron, can I ask you something?" I started cautiously as he closed the book in front of him with a weary expression.

"If you really must," he sighed with a slight smile. "But perhaps you should focus on the questions you can't answer."

"Sure," I nodded. "I just . . . I need to know about Thalia."

Chiron hesitated, not looking at me for a moment. When he did, his expression was torn. "Acacia, I probably told you too much a few days ago," he muttered quietly. "There are some things that heroes must discover themselves."

"I know," I insisted hurriedly. "But I never knew about Thalia in the first place, right, so there's nothing for me to remember."

He debated for a moment, then nodded with a heavy sigh. "Very well. What did you want to ask?"

"She knew who her Dad was."

"That is not a question, Acacia."

"Do you? Know who her Dad was, I mean?"

His lips pursed. "Acacia," he started in warning.

"I know that her Dad and mine aren't necessarily the same per- god," I rushed. "I just wanted to know why she was hunted so much. I mean, no one else here seems to have had the same problem. They all said something about monsters finding them, but never like Thalia. I was just curious."

He sighed again. "You really have a way with words, Miss Grace," he moaned under his breath. "And you're right. Just because one god sired Thalia does not mean the same god fathered you." His eyes were full of warning as he said this. "But as you asked so nicely . . . Thalia's father . . . Thalia was the daughter of Lord Zeus."

I felt my eyes widened a fraction at the mention of Zeus, and I had to clamp my lips together hard to stop myself blurting something I shouldn't know. Chiron stared, waiting for me to relax slightly as more memories rushed through my head painfully. I restrained a wince with difficulty. "Is that why she was hunted down? Because she was Zeus's daughter?"

His lips pursed tightly, but he nodded. "Thalia was hunted because Hades was angry at Zeus for breaking his oath. See, during World War Two, the children of the Big Three went to war. That is, the children of Zeus and Poseidon fought with the children of Hades. Things got out of hand, and the winning side – Zeus and Poseidon – forced Hades to make an oath on the River Styx to never sire demigod children again."

"But Zeus did," I finished with a huge exhale of breath.

Chiron grimaced at me tightly, nodding. "Oaths made on the River Styx . . . there the biggest promises you can make. Breaking it didn't affect Zeus so much – he's immortal, after all. But Thalia . . . Hades let out the worse monsters from Tartarus to terrorise her. The satyr sent to protect her, Grover, did everything he could, but by the time they reached the hill, it was too late."

There was a few moments silence while I tried to digest it all. No matter how Chiron phrased it, I couldn't help but remember what he had said about Hades being angry that I'd been born too. Did that mean I was Zeus's daughter too? Or, perhaps even worse, Poseidon's? Eventually, I took a deep breath. "So you don't know who my father is?"

Chiron frowned at me reproachfully, but he shook his head, and I knew he was telling the truth. "No doubt you will find out one day," he told me. I pulled a face, but didn't argue and bid him goodnight as I turned back toward Cabin Eleven.

The next morning, the Capture the Flag game was all anyone could talk about. It was Athena versus Ares, and Athena had made alliances with Apollo and Hermes, the two largest cabins, whereas Ares was teamed with Dionysus, Demeter, Aphrodite and Hephaestus. Unfortunately, that meant that I was one the same team as both Luke and Annabeth.

The teams had lined up against the border – the creek – and the leaders were giving out their instructions. Beside me, Percy scowled slightly as Clarisse glowered across at him, drawing a finger over her throat threateningly.

I sighed. "You really know how to make friends, don't you?" His lips twitched a little, but he didn't reply as Annabeth turned toward us. For a moment, her eyes lingered on me. Then she turned toward Percy.

"You, border control. Acacia, you're up front with me." I wanted to complain, but one of the campers gave me a clap on the back and wished me good luck, pushing me toward the front. Percy grimaced, but didn't come to my aid. I was stuck.

Lucky for me, Annabeth had also instructed Luke and Lee Fletcher, the head counsellors of the Hermes and Apollo cabins, to accompany her as well. Being with the three of them, in an enclosed forest, didn't make me feel any better about my situation.

"Split up into teams of two," Annabeth instructed. "They're bound to have the flag on higher ground, somewhere they can see us coming. Unless they really are completely stupid, of course. There are a few places in that direction." She pointed to the left. "Luke, take . . . take Acacia. Check it out. Lee, you're with me."

Again, I wanted to argue with her, but I kept my mouth shut. Luke glanced at me cautiously, jerking his head to the side and leading the way through the forest. We moved as silently as we could, and my hand automatically slipped to the locket around my neck, prizing it open. Luke scanned over the bow and quiver as it strapped tightly around my torso.

"Impressed a god, I hear," he said with a slight smirk.

I shrugged. "Apparently."

"You seem to be impressing a lot of people very quickly."

I couldn't help scowling slightly. Something about the way this guy spoke to me . . . it was exactly the way people spoke about Thalia. Why couldn't this guy get the point? I wasn't Thalia. "I don't remember those three years with my Mum," I said shortly. "I don't remember the Underworld, either, so drop it."

He raised an eyebrow at me. "You really don't like me, do you?"

"I'm not Thalia," I glowered.

"I never said you were."

"Not out loud, no."

He stared at me thoughtfully, seeming to realise he was fighting a losing battle. His lips pulled tightly into a pained smile, and he pointed through the trees. "One of the places Annabeth mentioned is a few minutes that way. We'll get through it quicker if we split up. I'll head this way."

"Fine," I nodded, stalking off through the trees. It was one of the most stupid things I had ever done. As much as Luke irritated me, I was far better off sticking to his side, where most people presumed I was. But somehow, logic went out of the window when I was with Luke. I seemed to forget completely that I was in any danger at all.

It didn't take long before I was brought back to reality through. As I picked my way through the trees, I caught sight of the small hill Annabeth and Luke had mentioned. I knew immediately that the Ares kids hadn't chosen this spot. It was too quiet and unprotected. None of the Ares kids were that stealthy. But, reluctant to return to Luke, I continued through until I was stood on the high ground, scanning the forest. I could just about make out the creek, glistening in the distance as the sun shone down on it brightly.

I had all of three seconds to enjoy the view, before a familiar snarl cut the silence.

I froze on the spot, hand flinching back toward my bow. My heart hammered awkwardly in my chest, and something in my gut gave a sharp tug. Suddenly, the temperature around me dropped well below freezing, causing my ragged breath to hang in the air in front of me. Slowly, I turned on my heel.

A hellhound – with red glowing eyes and wickedly sharp fangs – was creeping toward me, low to the ground like a pouncing lion. It's eyes were fixed on me, and in its jaw, it was chewing on something I recognised instantly. It was the t-shirt I'd been wearing when I first arrived, still stained with my blood and dirt from our incident on Half-Blood Hill.

It became painfully clear what this meant. Someone – someone inside this camp – was trying to get me killed.

The thought made my blood boil. My eyes narrowed, and without thinking, I swiped my hand back to grab my bow. The movement made the hellhound bark loudly, and it skidded forward, leaping straight for my head. I ducked and rolled down one side of the hill, clambering to my feet the second I reached the bottom and bolting into the trees as fast as I could. The hellhound had altered its course in the same second, racing after me with a snarl.

Somehow, I managed to string the bow and arm it with an arrow as I ran. Before I could over think it, I skirted around a tree, pressing my back into the trunk and catching my breath as the hellhound skidded past, its speed taking it too far. Without waiting for it to alter its course again, I aimed and released.

The beast blew up in a cloud of yellow dust with a single screech.

I didn't relax. The hound had left the shirt behind, and my eyes locked onto it furiously. Jaw set, I pushed away from the tree, slinging my bow over my shoulder and bending down to scoop it up. It was definitely mine, and I definitely remembered Daniel telling me that Chiron had replaced it with a CAMP HALF-BLOOD t-shirt because of the state of it. Someone had retrieved it before it was thrown away, probably for this express purpose.

But who in camp would want me dead? What had I ever done to anyone here? As little as I got on with some of them, I didn't see how any of them could despise me that much.

I didn't have time to debate with myself though. As the thoughts rushed through my head, more snarls ripped the air. Cursing in Ancient Greek, I stuffed the shirt into my back pocket. I knew it was probably a bad idea, but I needed it. It was the only proof that accusations of a would-be killer weren't some mad imaginings of my mind.

Still, listening to the amount of hellhounds after me, there was no way I could do this alone. Figuring there was nothing else for it but to find Chiron and sound the alarm, I wheeled back around to the creek and raced through the trees as fast as I could.

I didn't gain any ground on the hellhounds as I moved, but that was the last thing on my mind. I just needed to get into an open space. All the campers should still be armed, and twenty hellhounds – however irritating – couldn't have been a match for a hundred or more campers. Not to mention the satyrs, Chiron, naiads and anything else that took a dislike to the beasts.

As I drew near, I could hear celebrating. I didn't bother debating who'd won. Clarisse could brag about her victory until the sun went down for all I cared. The way I was feeling, I'd like to see the idiot brave enough to push me over the edge.

"QUIET!" I heard someone scream as I ran. I thought it might have been Annabeth. The snarls behind me grew louder with impatience. "Is that . . . oh gods, hellhounds!"

With one last burst of speed, I broke out of the forest. Campers yelled at the sight of me, and I saw Percy splash through the creek, scowling and spinning the sword around in his hand like he'd been using it for years. Behind him, Daniel was trying to push his way through the crowds.

"ACACIA!" Annabeth screamed, clutching her knife tightly.

Wheeling around, I snatched the bow off my back and armed it in one fluid movement. Shouts of protest met my stupidity as I staggered to a halt, aiming straight at the trees I'd just raced out of.

"Acacia, are you _insane?"_ Percy yelled.

I ignored him. The moment the hellhounds slipped into view, I drew the arrow back tightly. All of the beasts seemed to be clambering over each other in a nice, messy little group. Perfect.

My gut gave another sharp twist, and I released the arrow in the same second.

What happened next stunned even me. Thunder rumbled overhead, and the temperature dropped again. Lightning crashed around me, and the arrow whistled through the air. It didn't hit any of the hellhounds. Instead, it slammed into the tree nearest the middle of the group and exploded with a deafening bang.

More screams sounded behind me as lightning flashed one last time, but I hadn't even flinched. Something told me that wasn't the first time I'd ever done that.

There was a moments silence. No one seemed to want to point out what had suddenly become blatantly obvious. Another memory flashed through my mind, sharper than any before. I saw myself, maybe ten years old. I was slumped at a dining table, cuts all down my face and my eyes drooping wryly. In front of me, the woman with blonde hair was crying, muttering about my father as she wrung out a blood-stained cloth.

Chiron's voice was the first to break the silence. "Hail, Acacia Grace . . . Daughter of Zeus."

Something was shining above my head, but I didn't look up. Instead, I dropped the bow I was holding to the ground and pulled the t-shirt out of my back pocket. My hands held onto it tightly, and for a moment, I thought I smelt burning. My hands grew hot and uncomfortable, and I took a calming breath before I incinerated my only evidence.

Gulping hard, I turned to face the crowd slowly, still clutching the t-shirt. Chiron's eyes narrowed a fraction in confusion as he caught sight of it. Just as I opened my mouth to say the words I knew everyone would hate to hear, Percy yelped loudly.

"Acacia, duck!" he instructed, and behind him, more of the campers gasped as they caught sight of whatever it was he'd already seen. I started, instinctively making to turn around to see what everyone was staring at.

Before I'd even turned halfway, Percy had leapt forward and dragged me to the ground. I gasped in surprised, as a freezing wave of water rushed over our heads and crashed toward the forest with a loud smash. The sound of tree trunks crunching under the strain echoed around the creek, but once more, that's not what everyone cared about.

"Gods, tell me there's no more," Percy groaned. I muttered an agreement, shaking myself as I sat up slowly. It was only then that I realised, as he clambered to his feet in front of me, a green, three-tipped spear was hovering above his head.

"Oh," I breathed, eyes wide.

He frowned, but Chiron spoke again. This time, he looked like he might actually collapse. The colour had drained from his face, and his voice was quieter than usual. Still, it carried over the astounded crowd as though he had yelled it at the top of his voice.

"Hail, Perseus Jackson . . . Son of the Sea God."

If Percy's jaw had dropped any lower, I didn't think he'd have managed to snap it up again.


	7. Chapter Six: Apollo

My fingertips kept tapping on my legs as I walked, my iPod headphones plugged deep into my ears. My chest was tight and this meeting the big guy had called was the last thing I needed. I'd been dreading this for almost seventy years, and the more I thought about it, the less I understood it. Surely I should know what the prophecy meant? _Both _of them?

"Ah Apollo," Ares sneered as I entered the room. "You finally grace us with your presence."

"I see you're still sour after Athena beat you to a pulp yesterday," I said, smirking slightly. Athena only just managed to control her expression, but her eyes sparkled with amusement. Ares glowered, his fists clenched tightly.

"That will do," Zeus scowled sternly. I kept quiet as I sat down on my throne, but didn't shift the smirk. It was almost too easy to wind some of these people up. After all these years of practice, it was hardly fun anymore.

All twelve Olympian gods were here. As usual, Demeter and Hephaestus looked bored out of their minds. Aphrodite was busy applying even more makeup to her already covered face, Ares was checking out his own muscle, Hermes was busy with his mobile phone and Dionysus was trying to hurriedly drink the wine from his cup before it turned to cola. Athena was scowling into thin air, her face set with concentration. Artemis was fidgeting in her seat, anxious to get back to her Hunt no doubt. Poseidon was as laid back as ever, slouching slightly with an amused look on his face as he watched his brother become more and more restless. Hera had her lips pursed angrily. She already knew what this was all about and if she managed the meeting without snapping at her husband, or anyone else for that matter, I'd be incredibly impressed with her progress. Zeus himself had his eyes narrowed, taking a deep breath before he stood up. Everyone immediately stopped whatever they had been doing and gave him their undivided attention.

"I take it everyone knows what this is about?" he asked. There was a murmur of agreement and Dionysus snorted.

"Don't know what the fuss is for myself," he said moodily. "They aren't any better than any of the other lot, but they're a lot more annoying. Kill 'em both." Even Poseidon, normally so relaxed, scowled at that.

"Neither Percy or Acacia has done anything wrong," Poseidon said, his voice flat. Zeus shook in anger, but he managed to keep his comments to himself. I raised an eyebrow, impressed. We all knew about Zeus's missing bolt and who he blamed it on. He'd even had me and a few of the others out looking for it. I was surprised they managed to stay in the same room without trying to kill each other.

"They shall not be killed _yet_," Zeus snapped, emphasising the yet, though I was sure he wasn't talking about the girl. "There is no denying they are both a danger."

"They have until they reach sixteen, do they not?" Athena asked lightly. Again, there was a murmur of agreement. "Precisely. Should we not wait to judge their character? After all, their arrival could end up being a good thing."

"Dionysus seems to think they are more annoying," Ares shrugged. "I'm with him." Zeus and Poseidon scowled again.

"Perhaps someone should ask Chiron?" Artemis suggested before either of the gods could snap. "He would give an honest view of the half-bloods."

"Are you trying to say I wouldn't?" Dionysus asked shortly. Hermes snorted.

"I think we all know how much you dislike demigods Dionysus," he answered. "You are, what they call, biased." Dionysus scoffed and shuffled in his throne, but he didn't comment. He knew Hermes was right.

"Unless, you could give us a honest opinion?" Poseidon asked slowly, smiling a little. Dionysus's eyes narrowed and he straightened. Everyone, other than Zeus who was still scowling, seemed to have to hold back their laughs.

"They cause more trouble than the rest," he said quietly.

"Surely this is because their arrival has caused quite a stir," Athena reasoned. "Especially Acacia. She looks remarkably like Thalia." Zeus stiffened slightly, but he said nothing in response. Dionysus nodded reluctantly, looking pained to admit the demigods might not actually be that bad.

"Anything else?" Poseidon asked innocently, still smiling.

"I shall ask Chiron after we finish here," Zeus interrupted, stopping the conversation short. "But we can't be sure of how they will turn out."

"The prophecy says they will either save or destroy Olympus," Athena sighed. "We need them alive if they are to save Olympus. I do not see what could cause Olympus to need saved that a demigod could save us from, but prophecies always come true, whether it is how we interpret them or not. Therefore, I think it best we allow them to live." Poseidon looked mildly surprised Athena was voting to allow his son to live, but he wasn't stupid enough to ask why. He averted his gaze and kept quiet, staring at the floor.

"There is one way of making sure they don't fulfil the prophecy," Hermes sighed. "_Without_ killing them, of course," he added hurriedly at the look on Poseidon's face.

"Yes?" Zeus frowned uncertainly.

"Grant them godhood. Send them out on a quest, pat their backs, and make them immortal. They can't be the half-blood in the prophecy if they aren't half-human."

_"Godhood?"_ Hera as good as spat, almost leaping out of her chair. Zeus shot her a warning look, and she clamped her mouth shut, shaking furiously as she sat back down.

"I think Hera's right," Artemis said, pursing her lips tightly and giving me a pointed look. I shrugged innocently. "Granting the two of them immortality seems a little extreme. And there is no way Hades would be pleased with the arrangement."

"Hades has no say in this matter," Zeus glowered, his fists clenching. I tried not to wonder what his dear brother had done to Zeus's daughter while he held her down there a few years back, but it was harder than I thought it should be. When I thought about the Fields of Punishment . . . a shudder ran down my spine, and I found myself blurting out words I wasn't sure I truly meant.

"Maybe Hermes has a point though," I shrugged. "The two of them seem to trust each other, right? And one of them might end up saving Olympus yet. It wouldn't hurt to give them a little extra incentive."

Artemis glowered at me with a locked jaw as Zeus frowned. "Are you suggesting . . . that we grant one of them the gift of godhood?" Athena asked with a raised eyebrow. "To motivate the other to stand with the gods, should anything happen?" Again, I just shrugged, trying not to let Artemis's stare put me off.

"This is all theoretical," my twin sister pointed out irritably. "We don't know for sure if Olympus is in any danger yet."

"Can't hurt to look into it though," I replied, wondering why I couldn't keep my mouth shut. I was pretty sure it was curiosity.

"And how do we know we can trust either of them?" Ares scowled. "It would be much easier to kill them both and get it over with."

"We have already decided that that is not an option," Poseidon retorted coolly.

"So what? We test them both?" Hephaestus asked with a wide yawn.

Zeus pursed his lips tightly. "No," he answered, a little shortly. Artemis's eyes flashed at me angrily, but I didn't meet her gaze. "Just one. Tell Chiron to send them both out on a quest together in one week. In that time, I want a decision on which of the two will be tested."

No one said anything for a moment. I wasn't sure if it was because they didn't want to say out loud which of the half-bloods they'd preferred to torment, or because they were surprised Zeus was even considering it.

Eventually, Artemis sighed heavily, rolling her eyes at me like she sometimes did when she thought I was being foolish. "I might have a way to decide."


	8. Chapter Seven: Start Of A Horror Story

I was sat just outside the dining pavilion, overlooking the ocean. My legs were pulled up against my chest, and my chin was resting on my knees. I couldn't deny that I'd known this was coming. Finding out that I was Zeus's daughter was no surprise. But hearing it said out loud – then watching Percy get claimed by Poseidon – it felt like the beginning of a horror story with a really, _really_ bad ending.

Just as I was contemplating how much worse things could get, Percy threw himself down on the grass beside me. He didn't look like he was doing much better than me; his face was a shade or two paler than usual, and his eyebrows couldn't seem to relax.

"Everything okay?" I asked, a little unnecessarily.

He sighed, shrugging one shoulder. "Chiron's about to have a heart-attack," he grimaced. "He won't let that t-shirt out of his sight. Annabeth wanted to burn it."

I scoffed. "For once, I'm right behind her."

"How about you?" he questioned, gazing out at the sparkling water with an unfocused look in his eyes.

"Well, I can't remember the vast majority of my life, the only people I'm supposed to be able to trust are freaking out, there's a god after me because I'm Zeus's daughter, and someone inside this camp is trying to kill me."

"When you put it like that," Percy winced.

"How else would you like me to phrase it?"

He glanced at me with another shrug. "It's a normal day?"

I laughed with no humour, nodding. "That works too, but then I guess that's half the problem."

"Yeah," he snorted. "Anyway, Chiron asked us to move our stuff out of Cabin Eleven. Says it's probably best we move into the other cabins as soon as possible."

"Guess it makes it harder for someone to kill us in our sleep," I scoffed as I pushed myself to my feet.

Percy blinked. "You think it's someone in the Hermes cabin?" I raised an eyebrow at him, and he shook himself, confused. "Sarcasm? You know, I'm really not used to you using that."

I smiled slightly. "Yeah, well I'm having a bad day. You coming?" He nodded, leaping to his feet and following me back through the dining pavilion.

Annoyingly, everyone stared as we walked through the camp. I wasn't sure if they were still staring because they were surprised, or if it was just what everyone else was doing, so they thought they'd join in. Whatever the reason, by the time we reached Cabin Eleven, it was really beginning to get on my nerves. Unfortunately, we also had to enter a packed cabin.

The moment we stepped in, all eyes were on us. Luke leapt to his feet, glancing between the two of us cautiously. "No need to stare, campers," he instructed, and everyone tried to look busy doing something.

"Erm, actually, we just came to collect our stuff," Percy grimaced.

"Moving into Cabin Three?" Luke guessed. He nodded. "And you're in One?"

"Apparently."

He pursed his lips. "Look, Acacia, I know we didn't exactly get off on the right foot, but I just want to say that we have campers searching the forest for any signs of misconduct. If whoever tried to kill you left anything behind, we'll find it."

I wanted to argue, but everyone seemed to be listening to my reply, and while I didn't like Luke, some of the other campers here weren't bad people. I sighed heavily. "Thanks," I muttered.

Luke smiled tightly, holding his hand out in front of him. "Quits?"

I restrained a shudder, trying not to notice the twenty pairs of eyes that suddenly found us. Biting my tongue, I stretched out a hand and shook it cautiously. Luke's grip tightened, and before I could pull my hand back, electricity sparked between our skin. He gasped loudly, pulling back with a slight jump.

"Sorry," I rushed, shaking out my hand as everyone gawped. "I'm . . . err, on edge today."

Luke scanned my expression. "Sure," he nodded slowly. "Do you need a hand with any of your stuff?" I shook my head.

"Well, we best get moving," Percy insisting, pushing me away from Luke with a bewildered look. I gulped, collecting my stuff quickly and hurrying back outside. I didn't have much with me. Chiron had allowed us to take a few things from the store to get us started; a backpack with some fresh clothes, toiletries and things like that. The only thing I still had from my real stuff – probably still somewhere with Mr Graham's History class – was my favourite jacket that I refused to part with.

Outside, Percy gawped at me. "What was that for?"

"I don't know!" I shrugged with a grimace. "I just . . . I _really_ don't like that guy!"

"What? Why?" he blinked. "He's an alright guy!"

"I don't know, I just don't," I told him, slinging my backpack over my shoulder and starting across the common area. "He just . . . he's trying to see me like he saw Thalia, and I'm not like her Percy. She was strong, stubborn, confident and . . . a little arrogant actually. I'm not like that. I'm not confident, and I'm not strong."

"You defended your Mum's house for three years," Percy pointed out.

"Yeah, and I can't remember how," I frowned.

"You managed to get rid of those hellhounds this morning at the Capture the Flag game," he shrugged.

"You helped! Don't start on that Percy, please."

He smirked as we came to a halt outside the last four cabins. "If it makes you feel any better, I don't think you're strong or confident."

I glowered at me. "And I don't think you're funny."

"Each to their own," he chuckled. "I'll see you later." He turned on his heel and started toward Cabin Three, a low-built cabin that looked like it belonged on the beach. I sighed heavily as he grimaced back once, then pushed the door open and stepped inside.

"Oh, this is all going to go very badly," I muttered to myself, taking a deep breath and striding toward Cabin One.

It wasn't low built like Cabin Three, and it didn't look like it belonged in a camp. Instead, it was made of bright white marble, with pillars at the front. It was tall and grand, and the front door was made of a gold metal that seemed to glisten with lightning when the sun caught it. Pursing my lips tightly, I skipped up the three steps at the front and reached out for the door. Despite the fact that no one had touched it for years, the metal felt warm and comfortable under my hand. Shaking myself, I pushed the door open and stepped inside.

If the outside was something to stare at, then the inside would make your knees weak. For a start, a huge statue of Zeus dominated the entire room. The sight of it made my throat close up tightly, and for a few seconds, I stood clutching the open door, trying to catch my breath awkwardly. Campers outside hovered, as though wondering if I needed help. Before any of them could come any closer, I reluctantly shut the door.

The statue was staring at me. Well, sort of. It seemed to be able to see everywhere. There were six bunk beds inside, all empty and abandoned. Picking the one in the furthest corner, I threw my bag down on the floor and collapsed face first onto the pillows.

I was the daughter of Zeus, the ruler of Mount Olympus. Five years ago, my sister had died right outside the door. Four years ago, I'd been defending a house I didn't remember from the Lord of the Underworld. One year ago, he'd finally won and kidnapped me. The thought made me flinch violently, but I shook myself and took a calming breath.

If I was going to do this – stay here and try to live as a half-blood – then I was going to do it properly. First things first, relax and calm down. Secondly, I really needed to remember how to defend myself properly, across the board; archery, sword fighting, javelin . . . even lightning, if I could muster the energy.

Pursing my lips, I ran a hand through my hair and pushed myself to my feet, slipping into bathroom to get refreshed. Just as I'd finished, the horn went for dinner. I took another breath as I stepped back outside, scooping my hair into a strict ponytail.

Dinner was awkward. Of course, I was the only one at Zeus's table, facing away from the rest of the campers. Behind me, Percy sat with his back to me at Poseidon's table, hissing over his shoulder on occasion. If I was being honest, I was a little relieved that Percy was Poseidon's kid. He was just about the only thing keeping me grounded right now. I wasn't sure I'd be able to handle everything if I was alone in this.

I muttered a prayer at my father when I scraped some of my food into the hearth. It wasn't much, but I found myself thanking him for saving Thalia, without realising it had been on my mind. She might not be here, but at least she wasn't in the Underworld, at the mercy of Hades. Thunder rumbled overhead as I spoke, and Chiron shot me a warning look. Clamping my mouth shut, I hurried back to my seat and sat down silently.

It wasn't until halfway through dinner that I felt any pressure about being alone though. Mumbling a conversation over my shoulder with Percy helped a lot on that score, until someone threw themselves into the seat opposite me with a tiny whimper.

I gawped at Annabeth, her face straight and her eyes shining. Her blonde hair was pulled into a loose bun, and her teeth gnawed nervously on her bottom lip. For a split second, the camp fell quiet, and I thought Mr. D might actually explode. Chiron looked terrified. Then hushed whispers shot around the dining pavilion, and I shuffled nervously.

"I'm not sure you should be sat there," I commented under my breath, leaning over the table so no one else hear.

She gulped, shifting closer. "I'm sorry," she blurted. "I'm sorry!"

I blinked at her, astonished. "Sorry? For what?"

"I know you're angry about Thalia, but I don't know what to do!"

My back straightened in protest, and my face fell. She sniffed. "I know you blame me and Luke for what happened to her, and I hate myself for it, but-"

"Annabeth!" I breathed, wide eyed.

She ignored me. "I was only seven! If there had been any way for me to have stayed on that hill and let her get away, I would have done it, I swear."

"Annabeth, stop talking," I pleaded, my hands shaking on the table in front of me.

"There were so many of them beasts," she gulped. "And I didn't know what to do, all I had was a small knife! When I saw all those hellhounds coming for you this morning-"

"Annabeth, stop talking!" I snapped, so loudly the camp froze. My stomach twisted as she pursed her lips tightly in an attempt to stop herself from blurting anything else out. Shifting, I took a ragged breath and leant closer again. "Look, I know I've not exactly handled everything very well-"

"Acaci-" She cut off when I held up a hand to silence her.

"I shouldn't have avoided you," I told her quietly. "I'm not even sure why I did, but I know I don't blame you for anything. Thalia made her decision, and I'm proud of her, if not a little annoyed." Annabeth didn't seem to have an answer, but the look on her face – as though she was about to burst into tears – made me sigh wryly. "You have nothing to feel guilty about, Annabeth. You were there for her. I'm glad someone was."

My mouth suddenly went dry as I finally admitted why I was so upset with Annabeth and Luke. It wasn't them I was annoyed at. It was me. I should have been there for her. If I was strong enough to look after myself and Mum for three years, when everyone knew exactly where we were, I could have helped her. Mum would've been okay alone.

I made a promise not to take it out on Luke and Annabeth anymore.

"She loved you, Acacia," Annabeth muttered at me, and I knew she had realised the exact same thing I had. I dropped my gaze to my plate and stabbed a chip, a little harder than necessary. "She only ever spoke about you once, and it was the first time I'd ever seen her upset."

I looked up at her, scanning her expression critically. "I'm not her, Annabeth," I said, for what felt like the hundredth time since I had arrived here.

She blinked. "Yeah, I know. I'm not trying to replace her by talking to you. I just needed to clear the air. Thalia would've been so annoyed if I hadn't at least tried."

I stared at her, wondering why I didn't hate the sight of her like I did Luke. "I suppose," I said slowly. "Erm, for the record, you can consider the air cleared."

She smiled tightly, nodding once and pushing herself to her feet. "I'll see you later." My lips pursed as she walked away, and behind me, Percy let out a low whistle.

"Tense," he muttered.

"You're an idiot."

"Are you _just_ figuring that out?"

I snorted at him, my gaze fixed on my plate. Somehow, everything suddenly seemed a lot more manageable, and I had no idea why.

The next day, I was stood in the sword fighting arena with Luke. I didn't think it was a brilliant idea to train against him, but as he kept repeatedly reminding me, he was the best sword fighter here. If I really wanted to push myself, I had to fight him. Unfortunately, my sudden interest in training attracted a lot of attention. A couple of kids from the Ares cabin, the Athena cabin, the Apollo cabin and the Hermes cabin were hovering around the fence. Behind them, the daughters of Aphrodite hovered, as though they wanted to know the latest gossip without being anywhere near the danger. Percy stood the closest, leaning over the fence and winking at me occasionally for support.

"Tired yet?" Luke asked after we'd been fighting for a few hours.

I breathed deeply. "Shattered," I admitted. "Come on then. Get it over with." He'd already beaten me about ten times this morning, but even he had to admit I was resilient. I refused to step outside this arena until I had made at least a little progress.

Luke raised an eyebrow, smirking slightly. With one spin of his sword, he lunged. I side-stepped, but he expected it. I blocked just in time and used every ounce of strength I had left to push him back far enough for me to stumble back more. It gave me more time to react at least. He laughed wryly at me, not looking the slightest bit tired yet.

"Aw, cut her some slack!" Lee smirked. "She's new!"

"Don't be stupid," Clarisse spat at him. "Push her to her limits. If she's Zeus's daughter, then she's stronger than the rest of us. She just needs to learn how to use it."

"She has a point," Michael Yew, one of the other Apollo kids, muttered at Lee.

"Traitor," he hissed back. Luke just stared back at me, as though waiting for the signal that I needed a break. When it didn't come, he gave a small shrug and bolted again.

Luckily, I had backed up enough to be prepared for his attack. Our swords smashed together as my mind raced ahead of me, thinking about what Clarisse had said. I was the daughter of Zeus. How did that help me when I was on the ground? I blocked another attack from Luke and leapt back, still trying to piece together the annoyingly hard jigsaw that my life depended upon. Okay, maybe not against Luke, but I needed to know these things.

"Keep your head in it Acacia!" Luke warned, just like he had yesterday. I tried to summon the same feeling I had had, but I couldn't. Instead, I focused on Zeus. He controlled the weather, right? The second the thought came to my mind, lightning struck the field, dead centre. Luke and I hesitated, eyes wide.

"Go for it!" Clarisse as good as yelled at me. "Fry him!" Luke's face set, as though this was no longer just some training session.

He lunged again and this time, when our blades met, there was a crack of lightning. I was only vaguely aware the others were backing away from the fence nervously or that Mr. D and Chiron were hovering in the background, the first scowling and the latter looking incredibly worried. For me or Luke, I didn't know. There was also someone else with them. I couldn't really make out who it was, I was too busy defending myself, but I could see sandy coloured hair. That was as far as it got.

It started raining. Only in the arena though. It was as though we had our own little weather climate. The campers were gawping now. It never rained inside the camp barriers. Ever. In seconds, Luke and I were soaked to the skin, but the worse the weather got, the stronger I seemed to get. Thunder rumbled, lightning cracked and I stopped playing defence. Instead, I waited to make one more block, then pushed Luke back. I lunged and he only just managed to raise his sword in time. He stumbled under the pressure. I spun and slammed the flat of my sword into his side. He winced a little, but brought his sword back up. I stepped back slightly and let him lunge. Our swords clashed again, but the flat of mine was rested on the hilt of his. With all my strength, I twisted.

Luke's sword clattered to the floor and mine was rested on his left shoulder, dangerously close to his neck. His eyes were wide, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. I took a deep breath and drew my sword back, scraping my soaking hair back and twisting as much water out as I could as the weather suddenly returned to normal. Everyone was gawping at me.

"What?" I asked innocently. Luke laughed, almost nervously.

"Where did that come from?" he breathed.

I shrugged, jerking my head in Clarisse's direction. "I just thought about what she said," I answered simply. "I didn't think it would start raining though." I glanced down at my wet clothes, scrunching my face up in disgust. "Yeah, didn't think that one through properly."

"You did that?" Annabeth gasped. Her eyes were wider than I would have thought possible, but I nodded slowly. "Wow. I mean – Thalia–" She broke off, dropping her gaze. Luke had gone rigid and my face had fallen. I gulped, shaking myself.

"Still prefer archery," I mumbled.

"Told you it was better," Lee sneered at Clarisse. She clenched one of her fists and slammed it into her other palm threateningly.

"Alright, alright, so the brats good." Everyone turned to watch Mr. D approached, followed by an anxious Chiron. I didn't know exactly why he looked so nervous, but I figured I wouldn't like it. The sandy haired guy followed them, eyes fixed on Luke and I. He looked about seventeen, maybe eighteen and, as he reached the fence, some of the Apollo kids choked. I realised with a jolt that this eighteen year old guy was actually Apollo himself, their father. He didn't look old enough to have so many kids. It gave me a very odd, uncomfortably feeling. "How about we make it an even fight?"

"Dionysus," Chiron started.

"Yeah, yeah," he dismissed with a wave of his hand. "But the other kids are obviously no challenge. So how about Zeus's kid against Poseidon's brat?"

I froze on the spot. Percy's expression suddenly became very set and unreadable. Thunder rumbled over head, but everyone knew it wasn't me this time. The water in the creek, just a few yards away, suddenly got restless and dark clouds seemed to appear from nowhere. Everyone gulped.

"Perhaps that isn't such a good idea," Chiron suggested quietly.

Mr. D scowled up at the sky and shrugged. "Good judge of character it is," he said defiantly.

"Err, Dionysus?" Apollo smirked, staring up at the darkening clouds. "I don't think the big guy'll appreciate this much."

"Better give the Johnson boy his sword," Mr. D glowered, ignoring Apollo completely. The god sighed, shaking his head with an exasperated smirk.

"My name's Jackson," Percy corrected sourly. Mr. D shrugged, snapping his fingers impatiently and pointing at the arena. Chiron sighed heavily as the clouds darkened further. I could tell neither Zeus or Poseidon wanted Percy and I fighting, which was sensible I guessed. I suddenly remembered that World War II had actually been a fight between the Big Three's kids and although Zeus and Poseidon had been on the same side then, that was only because they were against Hades.

Before I had much more time to think about what our fathers thought, Percy had taken Luke's spot and Luke Percy's. Luke and Annabeth stood side by side, eyebrows pulled together in worry. I frowned. This ought to be good.

My mind raced ahead again, debating how I'd get the upper hand this time. I couldn't use rain again. Obviously, it was water. Percy's only major advantage over me was water, and he was a reasonable distance from the creek. Then again, he was better than me at sword work. I was finding it hard to find an upper-hand here.

"Well?" Mr. D snapped. "What are you waiting for?" I met Percy's gaze and saw how uncertain he was. I had to admit, I was a little relieved. At least I wasn't the only one. But we couldn't just stand here.

Percy made the first move. He lunged forward and immediately went to disarm, but I knew he'd do that. I twisted back so the flat of his blade hit the edge of mine. I pushed his sword away and stalled, the exact why I had done with Luke as I tried to figure it out. But even as I did this, the water from the creek began stirring restlessly. Percy didn't look the least bit surprised and I wondered if Poseidon was just getting more annoyed or if Percy was doing this. I frowned and went on the attack instead, forcing Jackson into defence.

Every time our swords hit, lightning would crack and Percy flinched every time. I could feel the force of the lightning through my sword and knew it would be weakening him. But the water got so restless, waves grew and slammed into the side, sending spray everywhere. If the waves got any harder, the spray might actually (gods forbid) reach us. The Aphrodite campers squealed when water sprayed down their backs and the girls ran for cover. Everyone else was too fixated on the fight to do anymore than gawp.

The water kept getting closer and the lightning was hardly touching Percy anymore. He was getting stronger the nearer he got to the water. I scowled and tried to disarm again, but like me, Percy managed to push me away. I stumbled back, trying to think. Rain wasn't the only weather.

Water rushed into the arena, soaking me and, though it hit Percy, he stayed perfectly dry. Only, I could see the strength return in his eyes. I cursed in Ancient Greek and barely managed to block in time. I focused my thoughts and the temperature dropped drastically. Campers yelped in surprise and leapt away from the fence as I lunged at Percy. More water sprayed, but it froze in mid air as it reached us and lumps of ice began falling from the air. There were several screams, but none sounded pained, thank the gods.

Percy's sword met mine and lightning cracked again. This time, the water hadn't reached him in time and he fell to his knees, too weak. He raised his sword just in time to block me. I drew back and stared down at him, breathing heavily. No one yelled out encouragement anymore and the thunder rumbled so loud over head, I couldn't hear myself think. The water was gaining strength and weather didn't seem to affect it anymore. I knew it was Poseidon behind it, Percy was too weak. Still, he managed to take advantage of my pity.

The flat of his blade slammed into my side with amazing strength and I stumbled to the ground, wincing. The blades both clattered to the floor and we were both gasping for breath. I shook my head weakly, resting my hands on the soaking, freezing floor.

"Draw," I managed to choke.

"Definitely," Percy shivered, actually looking slightly blue.

"Aw, come on!" Clarisse scowled. "You were so close Acacia!"

"So was Percy!" Annabeth snapped back indignantly.

"You want to start, blondie?" Clarisse snarled, stepping forward threatening. Annabeth frowned, but she looked uncertain. Luke stepped between them, glowering at Clarisse.

"Do you?" he said quietly, his eyes narrowed.

"Sounds like a challenge to me," she snorted.

"HEY!" I yelled, and everyone turned. I staggered to my feet, cursing as I did so and rubbing my side with a wince. "Would you _please_ quit the fighting. It was a draw. End of story." For a moment, they all blinked at me. Then, as though I ruined their party, they rolled their eyes and shuffled away to do their own thing. Annabeth smiled tightly at me, miming a thank you. I shrugged.

"Thank you, Acacia," Chiron sighed. I glanced at him in surprise. I'd completely forgotten he, Mr. D and Apollo were still there. But Chiron looked as though he hadn't slept in week, and Mr. D was watching me with narrowed eyes. Apollo, however, had his eyes fixed on Percy, who shuffled slightly under the scrutiny.

"Yeah, sure," I mumbled, rolling my shoulders and stretching my side. "And now that's over, I'm going to go collapse somewhere before archery."

"That sounds like a good idea," Percy groaned. "If you see Annabeth on your way, tell her I'm hiding in the creek." I raised an eyebrow, but decided it was probably best not to ask. Instead, I leapt over the fence and dragged myself toward the cabins, thinking only of the bunk bed waiting for me in Cabin One.


	9. Chapter Eight: Markings On The Necklace

That same night, Mr. D had another brilliant idea. The entire camp was sat at their tables for dinner, the fire blazing in the centre of the pavilion. Once again, I was sat with my back to everyone else.

There was a small table the sat at the top of the pavilion. Only Chiron and Mr. D were sat there, but there was room for others, should anyone visit. Then, there were six tables at either side of the fire, the two furthest away raised up slightly. It was supposed to be the six male gods and the six female gods, but since Hestia gave up her throne for Dionysus, it was out balanced. I was sat at the raised one, of course, which was Zeus's table. The other raised one was always empty and was there to honour Hera. The table directly behind me was Poseidon's and Percy sat with his back to me too. The only thing I could actually see was the edge of the hill and then the sea it over looked. I couldn't help but wonder why Zeus and Poseidon were still so mad. To me, it seemed like the water was trying to fight the sky, right in front of me. It made me extremely uncomfortable.

I had just finished eating and was gulping down diet cola, when Mr. D stood up and Chiron stomped a hoof on the stone floor to catch everyone's attention.

"Well, exciting day and all," Mr. D stared, sounding the exact opposite of excited. "But after the brats didn't kill each other-" Thunder boomed overhead and the sea churned angrily "- yeah, yeah. As you all should know, even the thick-headed among you, it's Capture the Flag again tomorrow after the mess Alice made last time."

"Acacia," Chiron corrected with a shuffle, gulping hard. Suddenly, the extreme uncomfortable feeling I had doubled. Behind me, the campers had begun talking excitedly, Athena's table glowering at Ares's. Most of the time, Capture the Flag was played in the same teams as last time. I smirked slightly when I realised the Ares table looking a bit worried. After Percy and I had had our little fight earlier, a lot of people had refused to train with us again. And Zeus and Poseidon both had, for now, alliances with Athena.

"Hang on, hang on!" Mr. D snapped impatiently. Everyone fell silent. "I have decided that the game will not be Athena vs. Ares."

"Uh-oh," Percy and I both muttered. It was loud enough that everyone could hear us and Dionysus turned, smirking.

"Exactly. Zeus vs. Poseidon. Now, neither team has any alliances, other than Athena, and one cabin can't be split. So, up you come brats and pick your teams."

"Well, this ought to be fun," I grimaced as we both headed for Dionysus.

"Fun?" Percy snorted quietly. "I'd rather just go against the Ares lot." I bit my lip and frowned as we stopped.

"Zeus's kid first," Dionysus told us. "Since he's leader and all that rubbish. And no arguing from the other cabins either. I haven't got the patience for you to make proper alliances." Thunder boomed again. I gazed out across the tables, trying to make sensible choices. But the problem was, I was impulsive and instinctive, not logical. So I had picked a cabin before I had even thought about it.

"Hermes," I picked.

"Athena," Percy said.

"Ares."

"Apollo."

"Hephaestus."

"Dionysus."

"Demeter."

"Aphrodite."

"There we go!" Dionysus said with sarcastic excitement. "Now all of you toddle off and sleep or whatever it is you do." With that, he strode around Percy and I and headed off to the Big House. I sighed heavily and Percy groaned. Chiron patted each of us on the shoulder.

"Acacia and Percy will need a hand making a flag each, since there isn't one for Zeus or Poseidon," Chiron said and everyone could hear the disapproval in his voice.

"We'll do it," Lee Fletcher volunteered. "Even Acacia. She's still alright I guess."

"Gee, thanks guys," I rolled my eyes. Lee smirked at me and shrugged, standing up and leading his cabin out of the pavilion.

"You'd better watch it punk," Clarisse warned Percy. He glowered at her as she walked off.

"Alright Acacia," Luke smirked as he walked past. "Good choices I guess. Might have been better with Athena, but I'm sure we'll manage."

"I'm offended," Annabeth frowned, but she still managed to smile. "Good luck tomorrow Acacia. We always have a plan and they rarely fail."

I snorted, smiling at her. "You seem very sure." She shrugged innocently, but there was a spark in her eyes that made me wonder if I even had a hope of winning tomorrow.

So we were ready. Michael Yew along with Kayla and Austin, two other Apollo kids, had helped Luke and I make the Zeus flag. It was simple, but looked quite cool really. It sort of had a marbled white and grey background, with a large, golden lightning bolt in the centre. Poseidon's flag was a seagreen with a trident in the middle, which I sort of expected.

Breakfast was tense. The camp seemed to have been divided almost exactly in two and neither side was talking to the other. Even Annabeth and Luke were ignoring each other. So when I walked into the pavilion with Percy, everyone stared.

"This was a really, really bad idea," I groaned, pursing my lips tightly and staring around at all the campers.

"You're telling me," Percy frowned. Even as he spoke, a fight broke out between Ares and Apollo. Lee Fletcher was suddenly being restrained by Will Solace, who looked ready to give in a join the fight himself. Clarisse was being held back by one of her friends, but they – like Will – looked ready to give in. I groaned again and moved forward. Percy followed.

"Okay!" I exclaimed, stepping between the two of them. "Could you quit it?"

"They started it!" both sides yelled. Clarisse's friend let go of her and now the only thing stopping her getting to Lee was me and Percy.

"Just stop!" I scowled. "Why are you fighting?"

"He mocked me," Clarisse glowered. Lee snorted, opening his mouth.

"Could you kids pipe down a bit?" a bored voice came. "I can hardly hear the music." We were all frozen on the spot, staring down the pavilion at Apollo. He leaned casually against one of the pillars, flicking through the tracks on his iPod. I waited for a moment, wondering if he would be more useful that Dionysus and split the fight up. But he didn't move. Go figure.

"Clarisse, would you please just sit down?" I sighed. "I'd rather Chiron didn't take out about a third of my team because they were fighting." Reluctantly, Clarisse moved back to her table and sat down with her back to the Apollo table. I rolled my eyes, turning away from the food and heading back out of the pavilion without eating. I had almost left the entire thing behind me, when Apollo's hand suddenly caught my arm and pulled me back.

He hesitated a moment when I looked up at him, stunned and a little nervous. His eyes dropped to the locket around my throat and a shiver ran down my spine. "Do you mind me asking where you got that?"

"That wasn't her fault, Lord Apollo!" Daniel's voice suddenly came. I started. In the midst of all the fighting, I hadn't even realised he was there. "It was me. I was trying to get back at Michael for something a month back, so I took it."

Something in Apollo's expression twitched, and his eyes flicked back to mine. I gulped. "Common theme at the moment. But how did _you_ end up with it?"

I opened my mouth to answer, but once again, Daniel did it for me. Apollo's eyes didn't leave mine. "I gave it her when she was attacked. It was all I had. I'm sorry if it offended you, Lord Apollo, I had no choice."

Again, the god's expression twitched, but this time, his lips pulled into a smirk. "Don't worry about it kid," he replied. "I'm not offended." His eyes bore into mine, and my stomach twisted awkwardly.

Behind him, someone cleared their throat. "Lord Apollo?"

I shuffled nervously when he didn't look away, but merely tilted his head to the side. Chiron frowned as he trotted into the pavilion. "Is there something wrong? Acacia is due at archery in five minutes?"

"Oh, of course not." Apollo cleared his throat loudly and snapped his gaze away, finally letting go of my arm and turning away swiftly. I could feel everyone's eyes burning my back, but I was too shocked to say anything.

Chiron moved closer to me, and he held his hand out cautiously. "May I?" he asked carefully.

Pursing my lips, I undid the clasp for the first time since I put it on and placed it in his palm. Chiron frowned as he examined it, as though he didn't know what the fuss was about. For a second, there was a flash of recognition on his face, but it was soon replaced by confusion. Sighing, he handed it back to me. "Ready?" I nodded weakly, clipping the locket back around my neck quickly and following him out of the pavilion.

I didn't want to use my own bow anymore. I had this weird feeling and it unnerved me how much attention Apollo had suddenly started giving me. The Apollo kids, who I practised archery with, were a little put out. The god watched us carefully the entire time we were there and I could tell Chiron didn't agree with his behaviour.

"Acacia, I want you to try something else," Chiron muttered, standing beside me. "After watching your sword work yesterday and the incident in the first Capture the Flag match, I started to wonder if you could channel the same power through your arrows."

"You want me to channel lightning through an arrow?" I clarified. He nodded, indicating to a target separated from the others. I sighed, moving away and lining up.

Lee, Michael and Will all stopped what they were doing and stared as I pulled the arrow back in my bow and aimed carefully. Apollo shuffled in the background, straightening slightly. I frowned, but focused on the arrow and blocked the onlookers out. The side of my thumb rested against the corner of my lips. I pulled the bow back further, taking my time to position it carefully. I released it.

The tip of the arrowhead sparked dangerously as it sliced through the air. It slammed into the target with a deafening bang and the target exploded with a crack of lightning. I stared, eyebrows raised and smiling slightly.

"Wow," Michael gawped.

"Nice," Will breathed.

"That was amazing!" Lee exclaimed.

"Thanks," I grimaced nervously.

"Hold on," Michael frowned. "If she can make explosions like that with one arrow, how are we going to beat her this afternoon?" Lee and Will exchanged at glance and I pursed my lips together tightly to stop myself laughing at them.

"Well, we got Percy," Lee shrugged.

"He needs water," Will said thoughtfully.

"Erm, the creek?" Lee suggested, as though it should have been obvious.

"That's the boundary line," I pointed out. The three of them groaned loudly, and I couldn't help but laugh, placing down the bow I had borrowed.

"Hey Acacia!" I turned and raised my eyebrows. Luke and a few of the Hephaestus kids I thought were called Charles Beckendorf and Jake Mason, were heading for me. Each of the Hephaestus kids had a sword and a sheath in their hands, grinning at me broadly.

Luke smirked at me. "Hey, what's up?" I asked, leaning against the nearby fence.

"Well, you didn't have your own sword, so ta-da!" Jake said, taking the two sheaths and holding them out.

I raised my eyebrows. "There's two," I pointed out.

Beckendorf snorted, smirking at me. "You know, we can count," he said.

Luke chuckled, shaking his head. "Yesterday with Percy was the first time I've actually watched you fight as well as that," he started. "Every other time, I've been the one you were fighting. I thought you might be better balanced with two. If you've finished here, we could go try it out quickly before the game. You up for it?"

"Oi! Alice!" Mr. D's eyes were locked on me as he marched toward us, irritated.

"It's Acacia sir," I sighed.

He didn't listen to me. "You are required at the Big House," he said angrily. "Didn't know I'd become a messenger, but come along Alison."

I rolled my eyes, but grimaced at Luke. "Thanks, but I'll probably be lucky if I come back in one piece," I said quietly. Jake stopped me before I could go too far and handed Beckendorf a sword. I sighed as they strapped the sheaths around my waist like two belts. Each sword was sat on one of my hips and I pulled one of them out when they stepped back.

It was celestial bronze metal, engraved with Ancient Greek. I was pretty sure it translated into; Acacia Grace, Daughter of the Sky God. One side was jagged and deadly, the other smooth and sharp. The hilt was the bronze the doors to Cabin One was made out of. Just like that, lightning bolts seemed to reflect off it and I felt a shock of power as I clenched it in my fist. I flipped the blade over and the back was engraved with more Ancient Greek, but the letters kept changing and I knew it wasn't my dyslexia.

"Amy!"

"Acacia," I groaned, shoving the sword back in its sheath and moving to catch up to Mr. D. Luke, Beckendorf and Jake laughed at me as I left, but my hand automatically flew to my neck nervously as I felt Apollo's eyes follow me. What was with him?

I ran to the porch, where Mr. D was stood with his arms folded impatiently. His eyes narrowed, but he smirked knowingly, jerking his head silently toward the door. I knew I was supposed to go in, but I couldn't help hesitating at the look on his face. He snorted, turning and striding away without a word. I raised my eyebrows, but took a deep breath and pushed the door open.

The room was exactly like you'd expect it to be at a camp. Wooden floors and wood panelled walls. But light flooded into the room, brightening it up. A fire roared in the fireplace and a rug was laid out in front of it, two armchairs at either end of it. A table sat at the opposite side of the room and the first thing I noticed was the man stood at the end of it.

The man wore a neat, dark suit that looked priceless. His tie was done to perfection and never moved an inch and I couldn't see a single crease in his shirt or suit. His stormy grey eyes were narrowed, locked onto mine as though I'd committed some horrible crime. His hair and beard was neatly trimmed, marbled with black, grey and dull white that looked remarkably like a thunderstorm and reminded me vividly of the flag we had made last night. What surprised me more was that I remembered him. He was the man I'd seen on the street in New York when I'd first landed here.

Lord Zeus, King of the Gods and God of the Sky, frowned down at me curiously.

"Acacia, my daughter, I shall get straight to the point," he started. I gulped, pursing my lips and keeping quiet. "By the end of the day, Perseus Jackson will be offered a quest. If he is to live, he will have no choice but to accept it. I do not agree with this... _truce_ the two of you seem to have. However, I shall trust your judgement this once. Consider it a trial."

I hesitated for a moment, but Zeus didn't continue so I gathered I was supposed to say something intelligent. "I – I don't understand," I said quietly. Zeus set his face straight and looked me directly the in eyes, as though daring me to look away or blink.

"You must also prove yourself to the gods," he answered. I felt my stomach drop and questions immediately burned the back of my mind. Why was Percy suddenly receiving death threats? And why did I have to prove myself, not just to my father, but all the gods? "You will go on the boy's quest. Each of you will pick another to travel with you. Chiron will explain the details, but if either of you want the gods trust, you must accept it." Something like pity flashed across his face for a brief moment, but it didn't last. "You and Perseus, Thalia as well for that matter, were born because of a broken promise. Your arrival does not bold well for Olympus and my brother, Hades, will do everything he can to kill both of you. Look at what he did to Thalia. And you the first time around. If Athena had not discovered his plan, you would still be in the Underworld."

He managed to say this without any emotion, but it's surprising how much you can read from someone's eyes. I gulped and stared down at the ground, blinking back the tears. Everything was quiet for a moment, but Zeus stayed where he was and one of the questions burning the back of my mind began irritating me.

"Father?" Zeus met my gaze again, but it wasn't as harsh this time. His face was still set into a frown though and I wondered if it just stayed there after all those years. "Can I ask, why did you turn Thalia into the pine tree?" My father didn't reply immediately. He dropped his gaze and for a second, he looked ashamed.

"Oaths made on the River Styx should be honoured," he finally said. "As a god, breaking it did not cause many problems for me. But it did for you and Thalia. I did not want to be the reason Thalia spent the rest of eternity in the Underworld, most likely the Fields of Punishment. The only thing she would have done wrong was to be born. I could not allow that to happen."

I'll admit, I was shocked. I hadn't expected Zeus to even answer my question, let alone be honest. The second I met him, I had instantly come up with the image of a man who pretends not to have emotions or feelings, who doesn't let a small thing like family change his judgement or decisions. But when he spoke about Thalia, it was easy to see the pain on his face and to hear the guilt in his voice. He had actually cared about her a lot. A lot more than anyone could have expected. I was stunned into silence.

"I would not have you travel out into the mortal world carrying two swords like that," Zeus suddenly frowned, extra energy behind his disapproving tone. I found it hard not to smile. "When you return to your cabin, you will find two different sheaths. They will appear as a normal belt to mortals."

"Thank you," I said, voice slightly hoarse, but Zeus didn't even seem to be paying attention.

"Do not disappoint me," he warned. With that, the house shook with thunder and there was a flash. Zeus had gone.

So, no pressure, huh?


	10. Chapter Nine: Immortal Blessings

The creek was the boundary line, just like last time. Many of my teammates had wanted me to put the flag on top of Zeus's Fist, a large clump of boulders that looked remarkably like a fist. But I thought it was a bit obvious. I mean, Zeus's team, with Zeus flag, on top of Zeus's fist? I might be Zeus's daughter, but I thought it was a bit much. Instead, we found a reasonable clearing.

I put two of the burliest Hephaestus kids, Charles Beckendorf and Jake Mason, on guard with it. Demeter's kid were surrounding it in a reasonable size circle that wouldn't give the location away too easily, setting up traps that blended in incredibly well in the forest. The rest of the Hephaestus cabin, half of the Hermes cabin and half of the Ares cabin were out creating distractions and fighting off any advances. The other half of the Hermes cabin and Ares cabin had been split into groups of four or five and were aiming to get Poseidon's flag. So that was everyone. Apart from Luke, Clarisse and I.

"So, what are we doing again?" Clarisse asked.

I rolled my eyes. "Border control."

She gawped. "What? You pulled me away from my cabin to do _border control?_"

"Clarisse, what is the border made of?" I asked patiently.

She looked confused. "It's the creek," she answered uncertainly.

Luke chuckled. "Water," he answered. "You're after Percy, right?" I nodded once as we stepped out of the forest and onto the pebbles on our side of the creek. It looked reasonably quiet. That was, until an arrow missed my left shoulder my inches. Luke had his sword out and Clarisse her spear in seconds as I heard Lee curse loudly.

"Hold them back," I ordered. I pulled my locket open and took my bow and an arrow. "Gods, let this work." About ten of Percy's team had burst out the forest and I could see more outlined in the forest. All those, against Luke, Clarisse and I. I released the bow.

It slammed it a nearby tree and lightning cracked it in half. A forest fire (that I hadn't really predicted, but what the Hades) broke out and raced in either direction, cutting them off from backup. I put my bow back around my shoulders and pulled out one of my two swords. I had replaced the first sheaths with the sheaths Zeus had left in the cabin, which were two white belts with bronze studs, until you turned a lightning bolt shaped stud that rested on my hip on its side. I turned both to the front.

I refused to use the jagged side. Just the thought of accidentally catching someone with them made me sick. Last night, I'd stay out quite late with Luke and Clarisse, until Chiron had come down to the arena and ordered us to bed. I was actually getting quite good at this sword fighting business.

Lightning cracked the second the first blade slammed into mine. Whoever it was gasped in surprise and stumbled back. As they hit the ground, a large shadow was cast over us. I hesitated and turned to the side. Percy was stood, knee deep in the water, fighting Clarisse with a determined look on his face.

"CLARISSE! BACK!" I yelled, taking out another opponent with a crack of lightning through my sword.

"She won't!" Luke exclaimed, taking on at least four at the same time. "She thinks you'll go too easy on him!"

There was Percy fighting Clarisse in the creek, Luke fighting another four opponents, and four more headed for me. Two sneaky sods had crept around us and were heading for the forest. I forced my concentration again and knocked one of the four down with the hilt of my one of my swords around the back of his head.

The wind picked up, forcing the water from the creek back. My hair whipped around my face as I watched a camper lunge at me. It was easy to catch her by surprise, slam the flat of my blade into the hilt of her sword and disarm her, the way I had done yesterday. The only thing was, I didn't want to actually injure anyone. I knocked them down, disarmed them and didn't feel the least bit surprised when they kept getting up.

An idea struck me almost as harshly as lightning. I watched the four I'd taken down stand up and head right back at me. The wind picked up again and the two that had been sneaking around were thrust back toward their own territory. The water was pushed back, away from Percy and Clarisse.

Clarisse slammed the blunt end of her spear into Percy's chest and he stumbled back, gasping for breath. She whipped around and raced toward the fire. Luke and I were back to back, eight relentless opponents surrounding us.

"Acacia, we're going to have to-" Luke cut off, blocking one of the swords aimed right at my side.

"I know," I said breathless. "Here goes." I gritted my teeth and went for it.

My sword met another's and I side-stepped, bring the hilt of my sword up rapidly and slamming it into the camper's chin while I blocked another attack with my other sword. There was a small shock and the camper crumbled to the floor, dazed and paralyzed for now. Luke moved swiftly and carefully, never hurting the camper more than necessary. I had to say, I was impressed.

Three campers still stood before me. Two came at me at once. I ducked and only one of them expected it. The sword came down and I remembered how I had disarmed Luke it this situation. I pushed the sword down to the ground and spun so that I was stood between the two campers. I brought my sword back and slammed it's hilt into the campers chest. They yelped as they too were paralyzed. I turned to the other camper and brought my knee up into their stomach as fast as I could and brought the hilt of my other blade into the back of their neck, right where the spine met the head. They were silent when they hit the ground.

Luke and I gasped for breath, surrounded by eight unconscious campers. We glanced at each other, eyebrows raised. A loud howl ripped the air, and I spun around in panic.

Clarisse had her spear pointed at what looked like a dog. I frowned and realised with a jolt that it was actually a wolf. Its stomach was pure white, along with the paws on its hind legs, the tip of its tail, its front legs, its chest and its snout. Its back, the rest of its tail, its face and ears and its hind legs were all a dull grey, speckled with black as though someone had flicked a paintbrush at it. Its eyes were an amazingly bright blue, that seemed to pierce right through you.

And Clarisse was ready to kill it.

"Clarisse!" I snapped. But she lunged forward. "CLARISSE! NO!"

Lightning cracked, inches in front of Clarisse. She was thrown back and skidded across the pebbles. The wolf snarled through its teeth, but turned on me and stopped abruptly. It stood, rooted to the spot. But Percy had recovered, just as his team burst from the forest behind Luke and I and ran for their own territory.

There was no victory cheers. Clarisse was still on her back, groaning and holding her arm. Luke and I were still stood in the middle of eight unconscious campers. And a wolf was stood in the middle of the it all.

The wind stopped. The water flooded back into creek rapidly. The rest of my team was back, gawping at the edge of the forest. Chiron had galloped onto the scene, frowning. Apollo wasn't far behind him, eyes wide.

"Acacia? Luke?" he asked, staring at the campers.

"They'll be fine, honest," I assured him, gulping. "They're just paralyzed. Give it another ten minutes."

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE PLAYING AT?" I turned and straightened, glowering. Clarisse was on her feet and storming toward me. "YOU ATTACKED YOU'RE OWN TEAM MATE!"

"What am I playing at?" I scowled. "What about you? I told you to stay with Luke!"

"Acacia was supposed to take Percy," Luke frowned. "You know, level the playing field and give the rest of the team an opening to get across. You left her to deal with the others, while you mucked around threatening a wolf!"

"Wolf?" Apollo asked, his face straightened. The wolf howled and bolted forward. It skidded to a halt in front of us all and stared around. Clarisse held up her spear in anger and Luke stepped forward. The wolf snarled. "No! Stay back," Apollo warned. Luke stopped just in front of me, eyes narrowed at the wolf. It bared its teeth at him threateningly, until Clarisse jabbed her spear toward it, frustrated.

I leapt around Luke, slamming the flat of my sword on top of Clarisse's spear, pushing it to the floor. I met her gaze, eyes narrowed. She stared at me, almost willing me to fight her. I waited, but she didn't move. For some reason, I felt oddly protective over this vicious wolf.

"It's an animal Clarisse, not some monster that reappears in a month or two," I said quietly. "It hasn't done anything wrong."

"You lost the match for a wolf," Clarisse hissed. I didn't know why the game was so important to her. Maybe she thought she could get back at Percy. But she pulled her spear back and advanced on me.

"Clarisse!" Chiron snapped. But she didn't pay him any attention. I frowned at her, stepping back as she stepped forward, spear raised threateningly.

"Clarisse, don't," I warned, both my swords in my hands. She didn't say anything, but her eyes narrowed. "Clarisse. Back off."

"Acacia," Luke said slowly. Water crashed into the creek and I glanced across. Percy was still knee-deep, frowning at Clarisse. Annabeth stood on the opposite side of the creek, muttering instructions at Lee and Will. They raised their bows a second later.

"No!" I snapped. "Guys, stop." Lee and Will frowned, but lowered their bows. Percy stepped forward and climbed out the creek, his face straight. Luke moved to stand beside him, eyes narrowed. Clarisse looked as though she thought I was stupid for taking her on my own. Maybe I was. She was a lot more experienced at this than I was. She lunged forward. I hit my sword against the pole and pushed it away, still backing up.

"Fight me already!" she scowled.

"No," I said with a sigh. "This is ridiculous Clarisse."

"No it isn't!" she snapped back. "I've lost to that weed twice now! How is that dignified?"

"How is this?" I retorted lightly, shrugging. She let out a yell of frustration and lunged forward again. This time, I caught it between my swords with the jagged edge and snapped it easily. Clarisse looked shocked, but she leapt forward, her fists clenched. I sighed and dodged her fist, bringing the hilt of my sword into her back. She collapsed to the floor, yelping slightly. It had only been a little shock, but it was enough to stop her.

I didn't know what everyone expected me to do now. Clarisse stared up at me, as though I'd bring the blade down and decapitate her. Everyone else seemed to expect something. But I slipped the swords back into their sheaths and turned the bolts upright again.

"It's a game Clarisse," I said. "The only reason you lost any dignity was this. Being a sore loser. You can't win everything."

"Acacia-" Chiron started, but the wolf barked angrily at him, leaping into his line of sight and spreading its stance defensively. Apollo stepped forward and pulled him back slightly, eyes locked on the wolf. It snapped again, backing up slowly. When it was halfway between Clarisse and I, and Chiron and Apollo, it relaxed and straightened. Its ears pricked up and it turned away from Chiron, facing me and Clarisse. Or rather, me.

It whined in its throat, as though looking for approval. It took a small step forward slowly, lowering its nose closer to the ground in surrender. Clarisse and I shared a glance and she scrambled to her feet, tensing her muscles threateningly. For a moment, it raised its head and snarled again, but it quickly went back to surrender. It's piercing blue eyes were on me. I straightened, eyes wide. It whined again, stepped forward again. When I didn't move, it started moving a little faster.

In a second, the wolf barked happily, its tail wagging furiously, as though it was just a dog. It whined and jumped in front of me, sitting down and staring up.

"No way," Apollo breathed, eyes bulging. The wolf barked indignantly and walked toward me slowly. For some reason, as it neared, I bent down.

"Acacia," Percy and Luke started, stepping forward. The wolf turned and snarled.

"Guys," I frowned, waving a hand dismissively. The wolf moved closer to me, but its eyes were locked on Percy and Luke. They shuffled nervously, their hands tightening around their swords. I scowled, but the wolf turned its head and nudged my hand with its nose, whining. Carefully, I stroked the top of its head and ruffled its fur slowly. It whined again and sat down in front of me like a loyal guard dog.

"Well, that's Artemis sorted," Apollo mumbled at Chiron. He frowned at the god disapprovingly, but stepped forward.

"It does seem as though Sasha has chosen," he said thoughtfully.

"Sasha?" I asked.

_That would be me._ I let out a surprised yelp before I could stop myself, my hand over my heart. The wolf's head tilted to the side. _Sorry. Forgot you wouldn't know about it yet._

"Chiron, is that...?" I trailed off, heart hammering.

"So you hear her too?" Apollo snorted, smirking slightly. "Artemis is going to go insane over this kid!"

Chiron sighed. "Acacia, Percy, a word."

The two of us exchanged a glance, and Sasha sat herself down at me feet. Remembering my earlier meeting with Zeus, I tried my hardest not to groan irritably. This should be interesting.


	11. Chapter Ten: Mission Impossible

The looks Chiron was giving Percy and I didn't do anything to calm me down. He sat opposite us in his wheelchair, his eyes flicking between the two of us cautiously. We had taken the armchairs by the fire, and while Percy slouched into the chair as though he wished it would swallow him whole, I sat on the edge, my back perfectly straight. At my feet, the wolf Sasha sat like a loyal guard dog, staring into the fire like it was the most interesting thing she'd ever seen. Apollo, on the other hand, was sat at the table behind us, his feet up and his iPod turned up so loud, I was almost positive I could make out _I Feel Like Dancin'_ from the pop-punk band, All Time Low.

Finally, I couldn't take it any longer. "Chiron," I sighed exasperatedly, casting an awkward look down at Sasha by my feet. "What's going on? Why is there a wolf talking in my head?"

Sasha whined, her head turning to look up at me with her piercing blue eyes. _I am sorry if I unsettled you, my lady_, her soft voice came. _Sometimes I forget most of my kind cannot communicate with humans like I do._

I pursed my lips tightly, trying not to get too freaked out by it all. Chiron grimaced at me. "I understand this must be confusing for you," he said. "For both of you, in fact. But I'm afraid we no longer have a choice. We must act now."

Percy and I exchanged a look, and he pushed himself forward with a frown. "Act on what?" he questioned slowly. Apollo scoffed in the background, but when he didn't offer anything useful, Chiron sighed heavily and continued as though he hadn't made a sound.

"An incident occurred on Olympus awhile ago," he told us.

I blinked. "Olympus? As in, Mount Olympus?"

"Where else?" Apollo asked. "You believe in gods, but not Olympus?"

I felt my cheeks flush. "I . . . never really thought about it," I admitted.

"Just wait," he winked with a small smirk. "You might even get to see it."

"Lord Apollo," Chiron frowned pleadingly. The god shrugged once, then leant back into his seat again. Percy shot me a confused look, but I just shook my head in bewilderment. It was slowly becoming a permanent state.

"So what happened?" I asked, clearing my throat awkwardly.

Chiron pursed his lips. "Something was stolen," he told us. "Something of great value. Lord Zeus did not take it very well. He believes that his brother, Poseidon, in behind it."

"What?" Percy gawped.

"Don't sound too shocked," Apollo winced. "Theft isn't exactly Poseidon's style, but I wouldn't put it past him to rebel against Zeus. There was that one time that your Dad and Hera ganged up on him. Refused to back down until he promised to be a better leader on all that. Zeus was furious for years after that one! The look on his face, you should've-"

"Lord Apollo, _please_," Chiron blinked, eyes a fraction wider than they usually were. The smirk I was quickly coming to think of as a permanent feature of Apollo's expressions slipped back across his lips. He pursed them pointedly.

"What was taken?" I questioned.

Chiron hesitated, glancing between Percy and I with a deep breath. "Zeus's Master Bolt."

_"What?"_ Percy breathed, and a tiny whimper escaped my lips before I could stop it. "How? How does_ that_ happen?"

"Well, if you listen to the big guy, Poseidon convinced you to take it for him," Apollo answered, yawning widely and leaping to his feet. Chiron groaned, letting his head fall forward in defeat. Apollo, however, didn't seem to notice. Instead, he strode around the table and squeezed himself with remarkable ease onto the armchair right beside me. "See, gods can't go around stealing each other's symbols of power. It just doesn't happen."

"So when Poseidon claimed Percy . . ." I gulped, but Apollo just nodded at me.

Percy's face had paled considerably and his jaw hung low. "I didn't steal anything," he insisted weakly. "I didn't even know about the Master Bolt until five seconds ago!"

Chiron took another, calming breath and straightened back out again. For a second, he stared at Percy sympathetically. Then he caught sight of Apollo sat beside me, and his expression hardened. "Apollo," he frowned.

I couldn't help but notice the lack of _'Lord'_ from his title.

Apparently, the god noticed too. His eyebrows tightened, but he didn't say anything or move. Instead, he slouched back to make a point. I shuffled awkwardly beside me. "What do we need to do?"

Chiron tore his eyes away from Apollo. "Percy is to be given a quest, if the Oracle sees fit. Percy, if you will make your way to the attic. All shall explain itself there."

Apollo winced. "Sort of." Percy blinked, but slowly pushed himself out of the chair and started toward the stairs. As he left, Sasha got to her feet and padded after him a few steps. Her head tilted to the side slightly.

_Is the boy always so instinctive? _she asked me curiously. _I was watching him during his fight with that aggressive Ares camper. He doesn't seem to have your . . . compassion._

I wasn't sure whether I was supposed to answer. Percy seemed like a perfectly nice guy to me, but before I could say as much, Chiron turned to me. "I'm afraid your task is a little harder, Miss Grace," he said.

I blinked with a sense of impending doom. "Lovely," I gulped. "And the task is?"

"Not one task," Apollo corrected. "Twelve."

My jaw fell before I could stop it and he winced at me with a shrug. "If it makes you feel any better, you've already done one."

"I . . . I don't follow," I admitted quietly, shaking my head in confusion.

Chiron didn't say anything as Apollo shuffled, sitting up a little straighter and meeting my gaze sternly. "The presence of you and Perseus Jackson doesn't bode well for Olympus," he told me. "The gods want action to be taken, and while both of your fathers agree killing you isn't an option, they understand that something must be done. Percy is being given a chance to prove he is not the thief, and to find the person who did do this. If he achieves this, Zeus may even let him live. You, on the other hand, are being tested."

"What? Why?" Apollo raised an eyebrow, and I rushed an apology hurriedly without meeting his gaze. He just snorted.

"Because you were chosen by Sasha," he answered. "As you might notice, Sasha isn't a normal wolf. She had been blessed by my dear sister, Artemis. The gods were told to chose one half-blood – either you or Percy Jackson – to be put through their paces. The tests are supposed to be designed to gauge your values. You know, loyalty, trust, faith, wisdom that kind of thing. Artemis volunteered to go first. She sent Sasha to decide which of the two of you held most promise. You, who made a point of being overly compassionate, were chosen."

There was silence for a moment.

"I still don't understand," I sighed, shaking my head. "Why would the gods want to test my values?"

Apollo smiled tightly. "That's the bit I'm not allowed to tell you."

"Quite," Chiron commented with a frown. "Perhaps you should inform Zeus of what has happened."

The god seemed to border on a scowl, but he nodded curtly and pulled himself out of the chair. "Good luck, Ace," he winked back at me as he strode out of the room. The nickname made my eyes widen in surprise, but he just smirked at me and stepped outside.

"Acacia," Chiron warned. "It would not be wise to continue associating with Lord Apollo."

I blinked. "Associating? I don't get it, he just answered my questions."

"Exactly. He isn't supposed to be helping you, no matter how small a gesture."

I didn't say anything for a moment. It was all a lot to take in. For one thing, I was about to be tested by twelve Olympian gods. For another, there was a wolf talking in my head, and as far as Chiron was concerned, Apollo was taking an unnatural interest in my trials. So what made me so special? My father, the ruler of Mount Olympus, had gone out of his way to deliver his own warning. Apollo shows up, causes trouble, then disappears when Sasha starts talking in my head. I started to wonder what test each god could possibly give me.

Zeus had already made it clear my test from him was to help Percy. I wondered what Poseidon would have me do. He would have worried me the most, considering I don't like water, then I thought of Zeus's wife, Hera. She was bound to detest me. I remembered the stories of what she did to Hercules, all because he was Zeus's demigod son. I gulped. Having a god for an enemy wouldn't be the best idea. But how could I ever prove myself to her?

Chiron didn't say anything else as we waited for Percy to finish with the Oracle. I wondered what the Oracle was exactly, but then thought I might not want to know. All I wanted right now, was to be told what I had to do and when to do it. I shuffled and fidgeted so much, I thought I might actually wear a hole in the chair. The two belts Zeus had given me were still wrapped around my waist, and my locket was burning through my skin. I needed to train, to fight something, someone, anything so long as it wasn't sitting here waiting.

"Percy," Chiron finally said, looking past me toward the stairs. I turned in my seat and watched him walk back toward us and sit back down. He looked worried, his face slightly paler than it should have been.

"That made no sense at all," he breathed.

"What did the Oracle say?" Chiron insisted, sitting forward in his wheelchair. Percy gulped and took a deep breath, his face scrunched up as he tried to remember what he had heard about ten minutes ago.

"You shall go west and face the god that has turned," he said slowly, as if pained. "You shall find what was stolen, and see it safely returned." He hesitated, and I could help but fidget. "You shall be betrayed by one who calls you a friend. And you shall fail to save what matters most, in the end."

Chiron and I shared a glance and the first thing that popped into my head was; did he think that friend was me? And, if we found Zeus's master bolt and returned it, what mattered more? What would we fail at? I didn't want Chiron to ask me to see the Oracle. I didn't want to have questions like this circling my head. I already knew I was being tested. That was as much as they would tell me, so that was all I needed. Simple.

"West?" I frowned. Chiron glanced between me and Percy and I knew the son of Poseidon was nervous, anxious and angry all at the same time. I sighed.

_The boy believes you will betray him_, Sasha snarled, shaking at my feet. _May I attack him my lady?_

"No Sasha," I breathed. "Percy, you don't honestly think I'd betray you, do you?"

"What? No!" he insisted. "I just thought . . . I mean, what happens if we do fail? Zeus and Poseidon will go to war, won't they?"

I realised immediately what he was thinking. If our fathers went to war against each other . . . did that mean we would have to? Camp was bound to get divided, just as Olympus was. Would all of this end with me fighting my best friend?

"Then I suppose we can't fail," I suggested with a shrug. He didn't look entirely convinced. I took a deep breath. "So from the top," I started, trying to sort everything out in my head. "Zeus's Master Bolt is gone and he blames Poseidon because he has tried to unseat him before."

"Correct," Chiron nodded.

"How could Zeus think I stole it?" Percy frowned. Sasha snarled at my feet, but I shushed her quickly.

"Apollo said gods don't steal each other's symbols of power, right?" I clarified. Again, Chiron nodded. "So, when Poseidon claimed Percy, my father automatically thought he was the one who stole it."

"Exactly," Chiron agreed.

"But I didn't," Percy insisted, as though we still didn't believe him. "So who did?"

"You shall go west and face the god that has turned," I mumbled. I vaguely remembered one of Annabeth's random facts, one that should fit here, but it was as if the words were in front of me, yet blurry.

"West? Which god is at the west?" Percy asked. Chiron's eyes were on me, and something like fear flashed in their depths.

Suddenly, the random fact came rushing back, and before I realised what I was doing, I had leapt to my feet and bolted to a large sink in the corner, gagging loudly.

"Acacia!" Percy exclaimed in surprise. "What in the name of . . ."

"The Underworld, Percy," Chiron said softly. "You have to travel west, to see the Lord of the Dead."

"Last time I saw him, he tried to kill me," I mumbled, splashing my face with water and filling a glass with a shaky hand.

"And Zeus wants her to come with me?" Percy scowled. "That's insane! He'll never let her go!"

"It's hardly a walk in the park for you, either," I pointed out, slumping back into my chair and sipping the water cautiously. "Hades tried to kill me because Zeus broke the oath. You're in the same situation, Percy."

"Hey, Hades never kidnapped me before," he frowned back. "Acacia, you were physically sick just at the thought of going back there!"

I flinched. "Percy, it's not like we have a choice, is it?" He didn't seem to have another argument, but his fists clenched at his sides.

"If Zeus and Poseidon were to weaken each other in war, Hades would gain most," Chiron grimaced. "The war would be the worst in human history. Nature would be at war with itself. The dead would vastly increase Hades's numbers."

"But why now?" I asked. An horrible idea was stirring in the back of my head and I needed to be told it was wrong. Only, I wasn't sure Chiron could tell me that. "It isn't... you know, _all _because of me and Percy?"

Percy raised his eyebrows, but Chiron pulled his together in thought. "That might be one reason," he shrugged. "Hades, Poseidon and Zeus took the oath never to sire half-blood children again. It could possibly be that Hades is angry with his brothers for breaking this oath. But it's a very extreme way of showing it."

"Do we actually know it is definitely Hades?" Percy asked exasperatedly. "What if it isn't? What if we waste a load of time making our way to Hades, just to find out he hasn't got it?" I gulped, shrugging.

"Who else could it be?" I questioned. Percy and I turned to Chiron and he suddenly looked uncomfortable. I got the feeling he knew of someone else who could be doing this.

"I think it is safe to say Hades is the culprit," he said quietly, with absolutely no conviction. "If it isn't... well, that would be a considerable amount worse."

"Worse?" Percy and I gawped.

Chiron frowned, glancing between each of us. "You are allowed to have a companion each, excluding Sasha of course," Chiron continued, as though he hadn't just scared me so much, I might end up taking the quick route to the Underworld. Via heart failure. "Percy?"

"Erm... Grover," he said, after about two seconds thought. Chiron smiled weakly, nodding at him.

"Acacia?" he asked politely. I thought about it carefully for a moment. I knew Percy had chosen Grover because they were good friends, but we needed someone better equipped, as awful as that sounded. I also knew Percy could be very hot tempered, and I was rather impulsive. I didn't exactly think things through first.

"Annabeth," I finally decided.

Chiron chuckled, nodding. "Perhaps you should go and inform them. You shall set off first thing in the morning. But be warned, you only have until summer solstice to find and return the bolt. By that time, Zeus expects the bolt back and Poseidon expects an apology. Remember, June the twenty first." I let out a low breath and nodded.

_This Grover is a satyr my lady?_ Sasha asked as we stepped outside.

"Yeap," I sighed.

_A satyr, a boy and two girls,_ she said thoughtfully. _Hmm._

"Is there a problem?" I chuckled.

Sasha barked once, offended. _Of course not my lady. Is this Annabeth girl intelligent?_

"I'd like to think so," I snorted. "She's Athena's daughter." Sasha's tail wagged happily. I smiled, knowing she was as loyal as they came and I knew, even after just having her here for an hour or two, she'd never stray and she'd do whatever I asked. With Sasha, two deadly swords and a bow and arrow, I should be feeling pretty safe right now.

So why didn't I?


	12. Chapter Eleven: Escape From Safety

Annabeth was hovering in the common area as I neared. Percy had left to find Grover, still annoyed that I was heading toward the Underworld. His protectiveness over me was a little flattering, if not entirely unnecessary. As sick as the thought of the Underworld made me, I could take care of myself. Besides, this time we were going there on our terms, not his. Then again, the thought had occurred to me that, down in the Underworld, there was only one set of terms that mattered, and it certainly wasn't ours.

"Acacia!" she exclaimed, bolting forward. Behind her, Luke and a few of the other campers I'd grown closer to frowned curiously. "Is everything okay? Chiron looked really annoyed."

I pulled a face. "Yeah, well, about that . . ."

Her eyes shone excitedly. "You want me to go on a quest with you?"

"How in the name of the gods did you know that?" I blinked, but she squealed and threw her arms around my neck.

"Thank you!" she breathed. "Gods, I've been waiting for this for so long!"

"Whoa, whoa," I frowned, pushing her back carefully. "You don't even know what we're doing yet, or where we going. This isn't going to be easy, Annabeth. Not by a long shot."

Her face straightened, suddenly business like. "Okay, so what are we doing?"

I took a deep breath. "Not here. I'm not wasting any more time just standing around. If you want to talk, we train at the same time."

"Hey, need a hand?" Luke called forward.

My lips pursed. "No thanks. We got it. But if you're up early enough tomorrow, I could always do with a hand in the morning?"

He smirked slightly. "You're on." I grimaced, ushering Annabeth out of the common area.

As it turned out, she wasn't great at sword work. She coped; her defence was pretty good, but she couldn't attack. I spent more time trying to teach her than strengthening my own skills, but I was pretty confident that, with the help of the lightning that coursed through my swords, I had a good attack. I didn't use the lightning with Annabeth though. It seemed a little harsh.

As we worked, I explained everything. I could see Percy and Grover out of the corner of my eye, sat at the edge of the forest, watching us and having their own conversation. By the time I had finished, night was falling and the air seemed to get a bitter sting. Annabeth, who had done quite well for a girl who didn't like sword work, let her sword clatter to the ground, and held her hands up in surrender.

"So you're telling me that we have to travel to the Underworld and get your father's bolt off Hades?" she asked, panting slightly. I nodded grimly, putting the swords back in their sheaths and turning them back into belts. "And all the while, you're being tested by twelve Olympian gods?"

"Unless there's suddenly been a new development and there are more than twelve, it sounds about right," I admitted, gulping hard and shifting on the spot.

Annabeth gave me a withering look. "You realise that two of them are going to be very hard to please?"

"You're not helping, Annabeth," I groaned, running a hand through my hair.

"Acacia, I know it's not ideal, but you have to think things through," she scolded. "If we don't get this bolt back, Zeus and Poseidon will go to war. You'll be fighting _against_ Percy, and this time, it won't be for training."

"Yeah, me and Percy already figured that much out," I admitted in a quiet voice. "That's pretty much out of my hands."

She grimaced at me pitifully, but didn't stop on her lecture. "And what about Hera?"

A shudder ran down my spine. "I was trying not to think about it."

"Gods, Acacia!" she groaned. "Do you have any idea what she did to Hercules because he was Zeus's son?"

"No, I don't, and I don't want to," I rushed before she could tell me. She scowled. "No, Annabeth! I know you want me to try and figure everything out on the spot, but I can't. I just can't. It's hard enough voluntarily travel to the Underworld again, let alone try and figure out how twelve gods are going to try and kill me, so I'm sorry if I offend you, but I'll deal with it when I have to."

She blinked, shuffling cautiously. "Erm, okay."

I sighed heavily. "Sorry. Just . . . freaking out."

Annabeth grimaced, patting my arm in a manner that was obviously supposed to be supportive. It just seemed like my death sentencing. "We'll all be there for you, Acacia," she said. "Grover and Percy, too."

I couldn't help flinching away from her, shaking my head roughly. Her eyes widened a fraction. "No," I said sternly. "Annabeth, they're testing me, not you, not Grover, and certainly not Percy! He has enough to worry about as it, let alone getting on the wrong side of any more gods!"

Something in her expression flinched. "And what about you? You have to go along with Percy, into the Underworld to face Hades again – after everything that he did to you – _and_ complete twelve tasks to please the gods? Acacia, do you even realise what you're letting yourself in for? This is impossible! They're going to get you killed!"

Thunder rumbled overhead, but for once, Annabeth didn't even flinch. She just frowned at me, locking her eyes on mine.

My lips pursed, trying to stop my stomach squirming as I replied. "Annabeth, forget about it." She immediately made to argue, but I held up a hand, and the two of us were stunned to see electricity flickering impatiently between my fingers. I clenched my fist, hiding my hand behind my back. "Forget about it. I have to help Percy, and I have to complete these tests."

"Acacia," Annabeth breathed, her eyes shining. "It's impossible!"

Her words made my lips twitch wryly. "Yeah," I sighed. "But I get the feeling I've heard that before." She blinked, but I shook my head. "Just . . . focus on getting the bolt back. Get some rest. We're leaving straight after breakfast. I'll see you in the morning."

Before she could say anything else to worry me about my tests and the bolt, I turned and walked down to the furthest end of the training arena. Unable to stop my gaze drifting back toward Percy and Grover, I leapt over the fence and made my way back to the common area. In the distance, I could see three figures leaning against the porch railing of the Big House. One was obviously Chiron, his tail flicking nervously behind him as he watched me walk away. Beside him, I thought Mr. D was scowling, and it looked like Apollo was smirking, winking once when he realised I was looking in his direction.

The smirk unsettled me so much, I barely slept.

Before breakfast the next morning, I trained with Luke for two entire hours and spent another hour at the archery range with Lee and Michael before Mr. D as good as dragged me toward Half-Blood Hill. I didn't want to stop, but I knew that we had to start on the task. The thought that I was about to begin a quest at the same time as being challenged by twelve gods.

Within the first hour of training with Luke, he had me beat. I was reluctant to use the weather or lightning to help me train. I wanted to know for sure what I could do without them. The answer; not as well as I had hoped. Luke kept assuring me that I was more than equipped to face any monster out there. The problem was, I _knew_ I wasn't prepared to take on twelve gods. No one other than Percy, Annabeth and Grover knew about the tests I had to complete, and they'd been threatened with death via Mr. D if they ever mentioned it. The gods apparently didn't take favouritism lightly, though I was seriously finding it difficult to see how this was favouritism in my favour.

Of course, archery had been a different matter. I didn't miss a single target, even the ones that moved or turned invisible just as you were taking aim. Considering I was really just training alone, I let myself experiment with the whole daughter-of-Zeus thing. It turned out quite well. Not only did I manage to start a fire so strong, they had to drag Percy out of bed to empty the creek of water, I also managed to create a mini-tornado that twisted on its side, pulled along by the arrow I'd released. So, all things considered, I was reasonably pleased with my defences by the time we started to climb Half-Blood Hill.

A crowd had assembled to wish us luck at the top of the hill, something I was not fully anticipating. I got a hug from Lee, Michael, Will and Luke, all of whom then got snapped at by Sasha. Annabeth was shifting her weight from foot to foot anxiously, her gaze flicking to the top of the hill every now and then. I knew she wanted to get out of the camp for awhile now. After all, she'd lived here for five years, never leaving. It was understandable that she'd want to get out, but I couldn't share her enthusiasm.

"Calm down, Acacia," Will Solace said, for what felt like the hundredth time in five minutes. "You'll do fine."

I met Percy's worried gaze, but snapped my eyes away quickly. "Yeah," I grimaced at Will, trying to stop my stomach squirming nervously.

"Hey Percy," Luke called, holding out what looked like a shoe box. Percy took it, frowning slightly. "I figured you could use them," Luke answered with a small shrug.

"Err, thanks," Percy replied slowly, casting a strange look in Annabeth's direction. She rolled her eyes impatiently, as good as ripping the box open and snatching out the pair of red Converse that had been tucked inside. "Shoes," he said intelligently, and I couldn't help smiling at him.

Luke chucked. _"Maia!"_ A small pair of white wings suddenly sprouted from the back of the trainers, fluttering rapidly in an attempt to escape Annabeth's hold. Percy's eyes widened, and I blinked a few more times that necessary, sure I was hallucinating. "They were a gift from my Dad," Luke grimaced. "Used them on my own quest. Don't exactly need them anymore."

He'd lost his smile as he spoke, and I couldn't help but feel a little sorry for him.

Percy must have seen this too, because he quickly took the shoes from Annabeth and shoved them back into the box. He smiled tightly back at Luke. "Well, thanks, I appreciate it."

Luke grimaced, but behind him, Mr. D cleared his throat. "Alright, touching farewell and all," he grumbled. "Everyone back to training!"

The crowd gave us one last pat on the back before reluctantly heading back down the hill and into the valley. Suddenly, my stomach twisted and Mr. D's eyes found mine. They narrowed a fraction, but he tore them away and regarded Percy almost as coldly. "Try not to make a mess," he warned, before wheeling around and marching away.

I gulped hard. "We should leave."

Chiron sighed heavily, letting one of his hands fall onto my shoulder. "I'm afraid Acacia is right," he grimaced. "There is little time to waste."

Percy snorted. "Try none."

Chiron shot him a withering look, before dropping his gaze and frowning down at the shoe box he still held. "Percy," he started slowly, and my cousin nodded with pursed lips.

"Not a good idea," he agreed with a slow nod. "I figured. Hey Grover? Want a magic item?"

Grover's face lit up. "Really?" he asked, his eyes sparkling excitedly. Annabeth didn't look very impressed, but she didn't say anything as Percy helped him replace his normal trainers with the ones Luke had brought with a little difficulty. Grover wore baggy pants and fake feet to pass as a human, but he stilled walked with a limp. I wondered how he was supposed to fly properly, but decided it was probably best not to ask.

He stood up, beaming. _"Maia!"_ The wings sprouted out the back of the trainers and his feet rose off the ground a little unsteadily. For a moment, he had perfect control. I had just opened my mouth to congratulate him, when he fell to the right and was dragged down the other side of the hill by the shoes, kicking and screaming the entire way. In the same second, Percy had burst out laughing and I winced loudly as Annabeth raced down the hill after him.

Chiron sighed. "Perhaps its best he doesn't use them too often."

"Right," Percy and I agreed.

"Are you ready?" Chiron asked, shifting awkwardly.

After glancing in Percy's direction, I nodded with a deep breath. "Locket, swords, knife," I listed. "And I spent three hours training this morning."

Percy choked. "Three hours?" He let out a low whistle. "I think I managed half an hour after you set the place on fire."

I felt myself blush. "That was an accident, Percy."

"I never said it wasn't," he shrugged. "Just . . . try not to do the same while we're out there, yeah?" I pulled a face, but nodded.

"Then good luck," Chiron smiled worriedly. We grimaced back at him, turning to make our way down to the bottom of the hill where Annabeth and Grover were trying to control the shoes. "Oh, a word please Acacia."

I shuddered at his tone, shooting Percy a pleading look. Again, he snorted, holding his hands out in surrender and retreating down the hill. Breathing deeply through my nose, I turned back to look up Chiron.

"Before you say anything, I know Percy and Poseidon are innocent," I assured him.

He raised an eyebrow, smiling slightly. "That is good to know, but not at all what I wanted to talk to you about."

"Oh, Chiron, please," I groaned before I could stop myself, running a shaky hand through my hair.

"Acacia, the Olympians have never taken such an interest in a demigod before now," he sighed heavily, frowning down at my reluctant expression in concern. "I do not know why they have chosen now to pay attention and I do not know why they chose you. I don't know what you are supposed to be worthy of. But I do know the tests they put you through will not easy and could very well get you killed. Please, be careful. Know when to let your instincts guide you and when to use your head. remember, you will have to impress Athena as well."

I pursed my lips. "It isn't Athena I'm worried about," I admitted in a small voice. Sasha whined quietly, nudging my leg. Chiron raised an eyebrow. "Hera." His face instantly darkened.

"Do not dwell too much on Queen Hera," he said, though he couldn't find anything more useful to say. I gulped.

"Chiron, look at what she did to Hercules! If I have to impress all of the Olympian gods, I'll be trying for the rest of my life!"

"It is not impossible to change Hera's mind, Acacia," he persisted. "I would like to think the other gods would be able to make their minds up without her, if she should prove impossible to impress. But I don't know their motives, so I cannot say what they are looking for. Keep your eyes open and your mind concentrated. I have every confidence in your abilities."

"Thanks," I mumbled, staring down at my feet.

Chiron sighed. "Good luck, Acacia," he said. I nodded and turned to meet Percy, Annabeth and Grover before he could say anything else, Sasha at my heels. What was I thinking? I may as well give up now, get it over with. The only problem; I didn't like giving in. Especially not to biased gods like Hera.

I'm doomed.


	13. Chapter Twelve: Murder Attempt No1

The ride into town was horrible. Annabeth and Percy argued a lot on the way there. Percy didn't seem to understand why Annabeth hated him, so when she told him she didn't and it was because Athena didn't get on with Poseidon, he got even more confused.

"But Acacia doesn't even pretend to hate me and our parents are about to go to war," he said, frowning in confusion. Annabeth groaned loudly and hung her head in exasperation. "What? I'm right!"

"It's a little different Percy," I told him wearily.

"How?" he asked. "My dad offended Athena, right? And Zeus thinks he's stolen his Master Bolt. How much more offended could he be?"

I thought about it for a moment, barely managing to stifle a laugh, before shaking my head and shrugged. Annabeth glowered, folding her arms over her chest impatiently. "Drop it," she warned. Percy blinked, opening his mouth to argue. He closed it quickly when her jaw locked.

I tried not to laugh at them, twisting in my seat to stare out of the window with a sudden sense of impending doom. I was very aware that I was outside the safety of Camp Half-Blood. There, I could train as much as I wanted and not worry about getting killed. Now, not only did I have to worry about monsters, but the gods were trying to kill me too. Well, they weren't trying to kill me as such – apart from maybe Hera – but there was a high chance that they would kill me, accidently or not.

Argus, the head of security at camp who had driven us into Manhattan, dropped us by the side of the road and handed us each our backpacks, Sasha hanging around my feet protectively. I shouldered mine, staring around anxiously. My eyes hovered over the corner of the street for a moment, but I shook myself. I couldn't let myself get paranoid, not with everything else going on.

We hung around the bus stop for awhile. The others talked and messed about a bit. Sasha never deterred from my side. Annabeth kept looking at me worriedly, and I couldn't stop myself scanning the streets. I couldn't get my head around it, and I was trying as hard as I could. I tried to think about how each of the gods would test me, but the thoughts made me weak at the knees. I couldn't let myself get like that.

The bus pulled up a few minutes later. I took a deep breath and climbed on board after Grover. My eyes found the same corner again and I was sure the shadows moved slightly. Again, I shook myself and pulled myself to the back of the bus. I slid into the seat between Percy and Grover, slumping in the chair and lowering my head.

"Are you okay?" Percy asked carefully.

I glanced at him and smiled wryly. "You're the one under the microscope here, Percy." He didn't say anything, staring at my expectantly. I sighed. "No, Percy. I'm not okay." Taking a deep breath, I leant my head back and closed my eyes. The bus jerked into movement, taking us deeper into the city. For awhile, all four of us were quiet, each consumed with our own thoughts.

I felt the bus halt at the next stop and instinctively opened my eyes. I stared out the window, turning in my seat to scan the area around us. Nothing jumped out at me and I couldn't see anything wrong, so I ignored the anxious shifting in my chest and tilted my head back to close my eyes. Seconds later however, Annabeth was nudging Percy into my shoulder.

"Look," she muttered, eyes fixed down at the end of the bus. I followed her gaze and cursed under my breath. Three old ladies were climbing onto the bus, their eyes locked on Percy. For a moment, I frowned in confusion. They looked oddly familiar. As one of them looked up to meet my gaze, it clicked and my stomach dropped. It was Miss Ingis. Her eyes stayed glued to mine, and something flickered in my memory.

"Uh-oh," I gulped, shifting slightly and reaching for the knife in my boot.

Percy's face paled. "What?"

"They're the Fu- Kindly Ones," I hissed under my breath, and Miss Ingis's eyes flashed.

"Yeah?" Percy said. "It's not good, but we've dealt with it before."

I scoffed weakly, shaking my head. "Not what I meant. You see the one in the middle? That's Tisiphone, meaning vengeful destruction. I – err – might have irritated her a few years back."

His eyes widened. "You remember?"

"Focus, Percy!" I snapped, smacking his arm gently. "She really, _really_ doesn't like me."

"Is there anything out there that does?" he gawped. I pursed my lips and shrugged awkwardly.

"That's it!" Annabeth suddenly breathed. "Percy, take this!" She held out her cap, her eyes showing only a little disgust. He frowned, but I let out a small yelp as the Furies started up the aisle, their eyes on us.

"Do it," I rushed. "Do as she says."

"Put it on and get off the bus," she ordered. "You have to find the Bolt."

He blinked, glancing at the rest of us. "What about you three?"

Annabeth met my gaze, nodding determinedly. "You have to find the Bolt," she repeated. "And then you have to deliver it to Zeus. Not me, not Acacia, not Grover. If you don't do it personally, Zeus and Poseidon will go to war. We can't let that happen. Now go, before I change my mind."

Percy's eyes widened again, but he gulped hard and pulled her Yankees cap on, disappearing from view.

I took a deep breath, trying not to meet Miss Ingis – or rather, Tisiphone – in the eyes. "Ready?" I asked Annabeth out of the corner of my mouth. She pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes slightly, then nodded once. At my feet, Sasha snarled in warning.

Sighing heavily, I hauled myself to my feet alongside Annabeth and Grover. He was clutching a scrap bit of metal, and Annabeth had her hand wrapped tightly around the hilt of her knife. Without thinking, I raised a hand and prized my locket open, with bow armed in seconds. Silently, I lifted it and pointed it at Tisiphone's head.

She hissed, causing Sasha to bark loudly. "Where is it?" Tisiphone spat.

I tensed as I realised she was talking about Zeus's Master Bolt. "We don't have it," Annabeth frowned from beside me.

"Do not lie to me, Daughter of Athena!" she snarled. Annabeth tensed, and I shuffled in front of her subconsciously. Tisiphone glared at me, her eyes flashing with a familiar hatred. "Daughter of Zeus . . . you alone shall be allowed to live."

My stomach dropped through the ground, and my heart thudded dully. The sound of Grover's nervous bleat and Annabeth's gasped came from somewhere too far away.

My grip on the bow and arrow doubled, and the string tensed as I drew it back tighter. "Why?" I demanded with a scowl. "Why would you leave me? You tried to kill me."

Another hiss slipped Tisiphone's lips, and Sasha dropped to the ground, her teeth bared as though she was preparing to pounce. "Lord Hades wishes to see you complete your task," the Fury told me through clenched teeth.

I double took, lowering my bow in surprise. Annabeth dragged me back, glowering at the Fury with such anger, I was surprised the monsters could stand their ground. Tisiphone and her sisters cackled loudly, and one of the other passengers on the bus shushed her irritably. I wasn't entirely sure what the mortals on board could see, but I knew it couldn't have been particularly terrifying.

"Why would Hades want me to-" The words caught in my throat, and suddenly, I kinda hoped Hera killed me first.

Tisiphone glowered. "That does not concern you. Sit back down like a good girl. We have business with the other two."

My jaw locked and I pushed past Annabeth again, ignoring her reluctance. "Well you're going to have to kill me to get to them."

The ground suddenly shook, and the bus rocked awkwardly on its tires. The mortals gasped, clutching the sides of the chairs in a vain attempt to keep themselves steady. For a second, Tisiphone hesitated, glancing between Annabeth, Grover and me. But her eyes flashed as she locked onto my determined expression. Without anymore warning, all three of them bolted forward.

As they moved, their bodies changed. Their eyes glowed like barbecue coals. Their fingers stretched, turning into talons. Their jackets melted into large, leathery wings. They looked like hags with bat wings, claws and a mouth full of yellow fangs. Suddenly, their handbags turned into fiery whips.

Mortals screamed. They jumped to their feet and scrambled in terror to the front of the bus, but the Furies completely ignored them. Instead, they headed straight for us. My grip on my bow and arrow doubled and I raised it again threateningly. Before I could act though, the bus jerked to the right.

All three of us stumbled to the left. On instinct, I dropped my bow and arrow and latched a hand around the nearest seat, catching Annabeth with my free hand. The three Furies smashed into the windows as the outside of the bus scrapped down one side of the Lincoln Tunnel.

"ACACIA!" Annabeth screamed. I turned, just in time to see something fly through the air, right for my head. With a yelp, I let go and let myself fly back, my feet skidding back as I tried to stabilise myself. I stumbled to the floor as something missed my head by millimetres. My eyes caught sight of it for a brief moment. I couldn't tell what it was exactly, but it was certainly out of place. And I was pretty sure the Furies hadn't thrown it.

"Oh gods," I breathed, scrambling back in panic as another object flew past me. It was circular, almost like a bomb. Oddly, there was a peacock feather printed on its surface. Suddenly, I remembered that the same symbol was printed on Hera's cabin at Camp Half-Blood.

Annabeth must have seen it too, because her eyes widened in fright. "The Furies!" I yelled at her. "Go!"

"Ac-"

"NOW!"

She skidded away before I could argue with her anymore. Unfortunately, three against one wasn't working well, and Grover wasn't much help. I was pretty sure he'd eaten his piece of metal. The moment Tisiphone realised I was in trouble, she cackled loudly and took her chance, bolting toward me.

"This thing can hold a grudge," I moaned under my breath, reaching over and snatching the arrow I'd dropped off the floor. The bow was nowhere in sight. Shifting in between two of the chairs, I dropped myself down to the ground, wrapping my spare hand around the closest seat to keep me steady.

As expected, Tisiphone fell for it. Shrieking in delight, she leapt toward me, racing across the seats and lunging for my throat. Twisting slightly, I brought the arrow up into her chest, her claws inches away from my neck. With wide, accusing eyes and a yelp, she exploded into a cloud of dust. Without waiting for something else to try and kill me, I staggered to my feet, dropping the arrow again.

"ACACIA, DOWN!" Annabeth yelled, and another bomb flew through the air at me. I dropped to the ground, just as the brakes hit on the bus. I felt myself jerk down to the front of the bus, right at the second Fury. From previous experience, I figured it was Megaera, or rather, Meg from the hotel. I was very aware as I moved that there was no way to stop what was about to happen, but out of nowhere, Sasha leapt through the air and collided heavily with the Fury. Meg over-powered her easily, and just as she clambered back to her feet, a bronze sword sliced straight through the beast.

Percy snatched the Yankees Cap off his head. "This is a brilliant start," he commented dryly.

"Percy, down!" I yelped, snatching a handful of his shirt and dragging him to the ground as another bomb whistled through the air.

"That's it," he grumbled. "Annabeth! Grover! We're getting off!"

Thunder rumbled, and for a moment, nothing happened. Then the last Fury, Alecto, shrieked at the top of her lungs and another bomb launched through the air.

"Sasha, go with them," I ordered, a wild idea flashing through my mind.

She whined in her throat as I stumbled to my feet, taking out one of the swords resting at my hip. _My lady, is that a wise idea? I can_-

"Sasha, out!" I ordered, and she shuffled down the bus with Annabeth and Grover. Percy hesitated, watching me cautiously. "Out of the way, Percy."

"Acacia, this is-"

Something flashed behind him, and without thinking, I kicked his chest hard, sending him crashing to the ground as another bomb flew straight at me. Mumbling a quick prayer to my father, I swung my sword like a baseball bat right where Percy's head had been. The flat side slammed into the bomb and sent it flying toward the Fury.

It hit the monster in the face and the second it did, it blew up in a cloud of green flames. My eyes widened in horror, my mind showing me a quick image of that thing hitting me. How lovely. The Fury exploded in yellow dust.

"Well, thanks for the help Hera," I mumbled under my breath, and thunder rumbled the bus.

"Enough winding gods up," Percy grumbled, snatching my wrist and dragging me toward the door.

We staggered to the ground outside, Percy's hands still wrapped tightly around my wrist in a mixture of restraint and concern. Annabeth and Grover were immediately at our sides, huddling together and leading the way through the crowds.

"The faster we get out of here, the better," Annabeth muttered with a shudder.

"You mean between a psycho goddess and a Kindly One, both of them with a very irritating grudge against Acacia?" Percy sneered sarcastically. "What's the rush?"

"Oh, just shut up, Percy," she groaned back. Sasha whined at my feet, but I just urged her on and followed behind, heading straight toward a thick line of trees.

The mortals surrounding us were still panicking. Some were still screaming, and running around like headless chickens. Others were shouting for help, pointing at the bus with wide eyes and pale expressions. My lips pursed as I glanced back at it, but Percy's hand tightened and we sped up slightly, slipping into the mass of trees.

Just as I began to get claustrophobic, thunder rippled in our ears. The four of us faltered on instinct, turning back to stare at the bus in dread. Lightning flickered across the sky, and without warning, it crashed down on the bus, hitting it dead centre. It exploded with a thunderous bang and a force so strong, mortals screamed and fell over, and even we stumbled as it reached us.

"We should get moving," Percy muttered.

"Quickly," I agreed with a gulp, slipping my wrist out of his hold and leading the way through the trees.


	14. Chapter Thirteen: The Evil StepMother

We continued in silence, none of us exactly sure of where we were going or what we were going to do when we got there. We'd left our bags on the bus, so the only things we had were the clothes on our backs and a few individual items. Annabeth still had her knife hidden under her shirt sleeve, Grover still had his reed pipes and the winged trainers Luke had given Percy, Percy himself still had Riptide and I had my knife in my boot, my two belts around my waist and my locket was still hanging around my neck. My fingers kept looping through the chain subconsciously as I watched Sasha stalk ahead in front of us, her ears pricked.

"This is going to be impossible," Grover groaned as we stepped through the woods. I kept my gaze on Sasha, trying to ignore the way my stomach twisted. I knew me being here was only making the already hard quest even harder. Hera was after me, Tisiphone wouldn't pass up the opportunity, and I was being tested by the Olympian gods. How was I supposed to help Percy at the same time? But then, I had a feeling that Zeus didn't want me to help him, as such. It was more like baby-sitting.

"No, it won't," Percy argued with a dismissive wave. "There has to be a way. Right, Acacia?"

I cast him a sideways glance, scanning his determined facial expression. How was it that he could be so certain? For once, I found myself wishing I could have more faith. Still, meeting his gaze, I knew he wanted me to tell the others that we could pull this off. But when I opened my mouth to agree, my voice stuck in my throat. Taking a deep breath, I dropped my gaze with a frown. "Optimism isn't my strong suit, Percy."

Annabeth sent me a quick grimace. "Percy's right, for once. If the Master Bolt is out there somewhere, we _have_ to be able to find it. It just . . . isn't going to be easy."

Grover snorted anxiously, wringing his hands together. "Understatement."

Percy frowned, but shook himself and fixed me with an intense gaze as we kept moving. "Okay, so I don't want to sound . . . unsupportive, or anything, but doesn't it seem a little strange that Zeus would let all the Olympian gods test you while we're supposed to be finding his Bolt?"

I blinked at him, and thunder rumbled overhead. Annabeth mumbled something that sounded oddly like an insult under her breath, rolling her eyes exasperatedly in Percy's direction.

"I . . ." My voice trailed off, and Percy raised an eyebrow. How was I supposed to tell him that I wasn't here to help, as such, but just to make sure he didn't try anything funny and that the Master Bolt was actually returned to my father? I might as well just smack him hard around the head and hope for the best.

"Do you even know _why_ they're testing you?" he persisted, and I thought I felt the temperature drop a few degrees.

"Percy," I started in warning. "We've been over this once already."

"Acacia, they're sending you back to the Underworld!" he breathed with wide eyes. I flinched involuntarily, my fingers trailing over the locket around my neck. "You just admitted you made enemies out of a Kindly One! I just . . . find it hard to see how these tests could be important enough to get you killed."

His voice trailed slightly at the end, and his eyebrows pulled together in irritation. I couldn't find my own voice to answer him. The whole thought of being back in the Underworld made every inch of my body beg me to turn around and run, fast. I couldn't exactly remember _everything_ that had happened down there, and I doubted that I wanted to. But I knew enough. I knew it was cold, lonely, extremely painful, and that if I spent much more time down there, I wasn't sure I could hold onto my mental stability.

Just ahead of us, Sasha growled lowly in her throat. _Being chosen by the gods is an honour, as hard as the task may be, _she insisted._ There will be a reason they have chosen a demigod. I chose you because you are loyal and trustworthy. Because you have morals that you stand by. Because you know the difference between right and wrong. That is what has caught the gods attention. Whatever it is they want you to do, you could have the chance to do a great good._

Percy, Annabeth and Grover stared at me, as though waiting for me to explain what she'd said, but I couldn't. My fingers kept trailing over the chain, my teeth in my bottom lip. What if Sasha was right? Oddly, it didn't make me feel any better. Now, I had to wonder how serious it was, and the ramifications of what would happen if I failed.

"Acacia?" Annabeth questioned cautiously.

I gulped hard, shaking myself. "Percy, maybe you're right," I said quietly. "Maybe not. Look, I don't like the idea of twelve gods trying to kill me either, but maybe Sasha's right. They have to have chosen me for a reason, right? Taking such an interest in one particular demigod goes against their law. They aren't suppose to play favourites, or treat any demigod differently to another. There _has_ to be a reason and if I end up being able to help, even in the slightest, it'll be worth it. Right?"

Percy gawped at me, as though he thought I was clinically insane. Grover wouldn't meet my gaze, making an odd sound in his throat that made my lips purse. Annabeth looked like she didn't want to upset me by disagreeing. The thing was, I was trying to convince myself as much as them, and their reactions weren't helping any.

Sasha barked once, giving a reassuring flick of her tail and hesitating long enough for me to catch up to her. The moment I had, she stuck to my side, nudging my fingers carefully with her nose. _I do not like this Jackson boy, my lady,_ she informed me. _But I shall not attack against your wishes. If he is to complete his quest, I suppose he must be alive. Although, there is a short cut to the Underworld..._

"Sasha," I frowned. The wolf's tail wagged slightly, as though the thought of killing Percy amused her. But she licked my hand gingerly, then nudged me in the direction we had been travelling in. I started walking, aware Percy, Annabeth and Grover were probably still debating my mental health.

_I shall help you as much as you wish, my lady,_ Sasha told me softly.

I sighed, smiling weakly. "Thanks," I mumbled.

_My lady, you are an extraordinary half-blood. Not many could face what you have and still have such a defined view of right and wrong. Whatever it is that the gods found when they found you, it is their best chance of achieving their goal._

"But what's their goal?" I sighed exasperatedly. "I don't understand how I can possibly prove myself if I don't know what they want me to do. And if _Hades_ wants me to succeed so badly, how good could it be?"

_There are certain things that can benefit all gods, my lady,_ Sasha said wisely. _Though I have not witnessed any such thing in many years._

The thought of what it would take to unite _all_ the gods made my stomach turn and I must have paled considerably, because Sasha whined quietly in her throat and licked my fingers again. I tried to regain some sort of composure as we continued moving, taking several deep breaths, but the harder I tried, the sicker I suddenly felt.

"Can you smell ... food?" Grover asked after about ten minutes of walking in complete silence.

Percy sighed heavily, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Your food or normal food?"

"Normal," Grover replied sourly. I took a deep breath and realised he was right. I could smell food. Beside me, Annabeth's stomach suddenly gave a loud protest and she blushed, but sped up, following the smell of the food.

We broke through the trees and came across a deserted road, on the other side of which sat a gas station and an open business, the source of the smell. Percy, Annabeth and Grover instantly crossed over quickly, but I hung back a bit, trying to read the sign though my dyslexia. It took me a few minutes.

_Aunty Em's Garden Gnome Emporium_. Aunty Em? Who was Aunty Em? I didn't like the feeling in my stomach as I hurried after the others, frowning slightly.

"Guys, is this a good idea?" Grover asked cautiously.

"I'm with Grover," I instantly agreed, trying to resist the urge to open my locket and shoot the first thing that moved.

"Are you guys crazy?" Percy gawped.

"That's looking more likely," I found myself muttering under my breath.

He ignored me. "There's food in there!"

"I'm with Percy," Annabeth nodded. I glanced at Grover, who shuffled awkwardly. With a sigh, I followed them closer to the building. But we didn't get far before Grover tugged on my shirt sleeve.

"I smell monsters," Grover hissed. I felt myself jerk to a halt, heart racing.

Sasha immediately pressed against my side, sniffing the air cautiously. _The goat boy is correct my lady,_ she said darkly.

"Percy," I called slowly. He turned, took one look at my facial expression and froze on the spot. Annabeth opened her mouth to argue, but she followed his line of sight and went rigid.

Just then, the door creaked open. In the doorway stood a tall Middle Eastern woman. Her black gown covered almost everything but her hands and her head was completely veiled. Her coffee coloured hands looked old, yet well-manicured and elegant.

"Children, why are you alone so late?" she asked, with a fake sounding concern that made my body shiver. "Where are your parents?"

"We're orphans," I said quickly.

"Well, quick! Come in! I have plenty of food," she reassured. "The dining area is at the back." I was about to say that we didn't want to stop, or that we were on our way home, when Percy and Annabeth hurried around the woman.

"Guys! We can't stay!" I hissed as Grover trembled beside me.

The woman hesitated, scanning me critically. As her eyebrows rose, I felt a sudden sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. _Please do _not_ be another monster I irritated,_ I pleaded mentally.

But she smiled tightly. "Oh, they won't be long," she assured me, her voice turning cold. I raised my eyebrows cautiously, but she turned to Grover. "Aren't you hungry dear?" Before he could refuse, I sent him a warning looking and nudged him harshly. Spluttering slightly, he nodded, shuffling into the room. The woman paused for a moment, staring at me coolly, before slamming the door in my face.

"Okay," I said slowly, taking a few steps back. "That was . . . odd."

I scanned the building carefully, but it looked like the only way in was the door, and if Grover was right, I was pretty sure I wouldn't be able to get in that way. I was trying to find a way around my problems when a bright light emitted from the air behind me. I froze for a moment, aware my stomach was twisting violently, before turning on my heel slowly.

In front of me stood a tall, graceful woman. She had long hair the colour of chocolate, braided in plaits with gold ribbons. She wore a simple white dress, but when she moved toward me, the fabric shimmered with colours like oil on water. She smiled coldly at me and my stomach jolted so far up, I choked.

"Dear Acacia," she said sarcastically, and the tone of her voice made it perfectly clear she detested me with a passion. I knew in an instant who this woman was and found myself pressed against the door behind me. She snorted. "No need to be scared dear. After Heracles, I don't need the bad press. My loving husband would be most upset if I killed you."

I didn't know what I was supposed to say. Thanks? Queen Hera simply glowered at me, as though she was waiting for me to piece together a puzzle designed for three year olds.

Luckily, it clicked pretty quickly.

"You're just waiting for me to fail," I said quietly.

She smiled cruelly. "Of course," she replied with a shrug. "As if a twelve year old demigod will ever be able to prove herself to twelve gods! You already have Artemis fooled and it won't take much to convince Apollo. But you aren't exactly intelligent or remarkable strong, so Athena and Ares will take much more work. Then of course there's Dionysus, who hates heroes and I don't think Demeter is much more fond of them either. I had hoped Poseidon would disagree with your... _worthiness_. Only you had to go and accept the quest to help his – _child_, Perseus and now even he has to think twice about it!"

Suddenly, I felt everything change. I hardly knew what I was doing. My eyes had narrowed without my knowing and my fists were clenched tightly, my jaw locked. It was rare that I ever got this angry _this_ easily, but the way she spoke about the test, about everything that had been worrying me since I first met Sasha, gave me the irresistible urge to prove her wrong. It worried me slightly.

"Jealousy doesn't really suit you," I said through my teeth, pursing my lips tightly.

Her eyes flashed and narrowed dangerously. "Do not forget you will have to prove yourself to me too, little half-blood," she spat angrily. "If you don't, you will never have a peaceful existence. Enjoy your trip to the Underworld. My darling brother may never let you out." With that, her form began glowing golden. I closed my eyes tightly, until the light faded.

My heart was racing nervously and my palms were sweaty. If I had thought I was doomed before, it was nothing to what I knew now. Other than the fact Hera would never let me prove myself, she was right. I had other problems. Hades had kidnapped me once already. Would he ever let me leave, if I went down there again?

Sasha whined at my feet, sniffing the ground and pawing at the door. _My lady, your friends are in danger,_ her voice came. _We must find a way in._

"I know Sasha," I sighed, gulping hard and forcing myself to calm down. "But how?" Glancing once more at the door, I straightened out and pushed myself away from the front, starting around the side of the building. My fingers slipped over the locket as I moved, and in the same second, it disappeared to form a bow and quiver.

The edge of a forest ran right around the back of the building. It's trees towered high in the sky, blocking out what little sun was managing to get through dull, grey clouds. Stepping into the shadows, I shuddered violently, slipping the bow off my back and stringing it quickly. Sasha crept ahead of me slightly, her nose lowered to the ground and her eyes pricked up at the smallest sound.

A large, gated garden sat behind the building, and through a tall, black iron gate, I could see huge, potted plants, water fountains, and oddly life-sized stone statues. I hesitated outside, scanning the fence. There was no way I could climb over that, but there was a chance I could get over the gate itself. It stood a little lower than the fence, without the barbed wire.

Another warning sign. What garden centre was protected by _barbed wire?_

_My lady, we must hurry,_ Sasha insisted, sniffing the gate cautiously. _Something isn't right._

"I know Sasha," I groaned. "Hang on." I slung the bow back over my shoulder and climbed the gate. I didn't think it would be that easy, but I dropped down at the other side with nothing there to stop me. I turned to unbolt the gate, but it wouldn't budge. I guess I found out why it was so easy to get in. The idea was to stop you getting back _out_ again.

_Go my lady, _Sasha whined reluctantly, straightening on the other side of the gate._ I shall find another way in._

I hesitated. It sounded ridiculous, but I didn't want her to leave. I felt safer knowing that she was beside me, that she could rip any monsters throat out before they could say _'dead demigod'_. But eventually, I nodded. Sasha whined again, then bolted out of sight.

I turned and stared into the garden with a sense of impending doom. Was it just me, or was every plant moving? And I mean, properly moving. Not just your average swaying-in-the-wind moving. I mean, _alive_ moving. Even as I was figuring it out, a cold chill ran down my back as I remembered another Greek mythology fact.

Demeter was the goddess of agriculture and horticulture. I was stood in a huge garden.

I had a feeling the tests were about to start.


	15. Chapter Fourteen: Demeter

"I'm going to be strangled to death by a plant," I grumbled under my breath, bending down and taking the hidden knife out of my boot. Taking a deep breath, I straightened out, clamped the knife between my knife and readjusted my ponytail. "Here goes nothing," I sighed, taking the knife out of my mouth.

The first step I took forward, a vine shot through the air and I dropped to the ground with a yelp. It raced past me, slamming into the metal gate with a loud ring. I flinched at the noise, feeling every muscle in my body tighten in suspense. It was difficult for me to convince myself to move onwards, but when I did, I suddenly felt . . . comfortable. Like this was something I should have been doing my entire life.

Nothing attacked me again as I moved. I wasn't sure whether that was a good or bad thing. Everything just seemed . . . too normal. The statues scattered around the garden didn't help either. Every single one of them had a terrified look on their face, as though whoever this woman had been sculpting had seen a ghost over her shoulder when she got to their faces. Something nagged at the back of my mind, making me double take and stop in front of one of the smallest statues.

It was a little girl, no older than seven years old at most. She, like all the others, looked petrified, her eyes wide and her lips pursed together tightly, as though they had been wobbling before she burst into tears. As I moved away, her eyes seemed to follow me, pleading with me to help her. Frowning deeply, I glanced at another statue, not too far from the girl. This one was of a rather large, rounded, balding man. His shirt didn't quite cover his huge stomach, and there was a half-eaten burger stuck to his foot, his empty hand outstretched as if he had dropped it. Just like the girl, his eyes were wide with fright, and pleading with me. I gulped as I stared back.

Statues, frightened eyes . . . why should all of this fit together? I strained myself for another minute before it clicked.

"Oh no," I groaned, spinning around on my heel as fast as I could and bolted toward the building. Suddenly, the plants didn't seem to want me to leave, but I was past thinking things few. Acting entirely on impulse, I was just grateful that this wasn't Athena's test.

Plunging my knife into the nearest plant, it cracked with a lightning that leapt to every other plant within the closest few metres. Or at least, I think it did, I didn't really stick around to check. Instead, I leapt over the remaining vines and bolted into the building as fast and as quietly as I could. The closer I got, the more I could make of the mumblings in the background. I skidded to a halt and caught my breath, inching closer to the end of the corridor.

"Two sisters?" Annabeth was asking cautiously.

"Please, please get it," I pleaded, praying to Athena with every ounce of energy I had.

"Oh well, yes," the woman answered her. "See, a woman got jealous of me a long time ago. I had a . . . boyfriend, see? The bad woman was determined to break us apart. My sisters stayed for as long as they could, but eventually, they passed on."

"Come on, Annabeth!" I hissed through my teeth, and to my relief, I heard the hurried scraping of a chair over the floor.

"Percy, we should go," Annabeth announced.

"Such beautiful grey eyes," the woman was saying and I knew she was talking to Annabeth. Restraining myself from running right at her with a knife, I slipped the blade back into my boot and opened my locket, loading an arrow in one fluid movement.

"Would you mind staying for a photograph?" Medusa was asking them politely. I tensed, tightening my hold on my bow and arrow and holding my breath. "I so rarely get to work with children."

"I don't think we have time," Annabeth answered shortly.

"Of course we do," Percy countered sleepily. I rolled my eyes as they stood up, but tensed again the moment I realised they were heading for me. Figuring she'd created her statues with all the others, I turned and raced back into the garden, despite every fibre in my body begging me not to.

Taking refuge behind the statue of the large man with the burger on his foot, I shifted so that I could see the reflection of Medusa leading Percy, Annabeth and Grover into the garden in a pool of water from the fountain ahead of me. My mind whirled as I tried to think of the best way to handle this. If this really was Demeter's test, what was she testing me on? Artemis tested my compassion, which as far as I could see, had nothing at all to do with hunting. So how was I supposed to work out what Demeter wanted from me?

_Maybe that's the point,_ a small, wry voice said at the back of my mind. _They're testing you on values you should already have, not the ones you can show off when it suits._

Behind me, Medusa was already setting up her shot. "The young lady in the middle with the gentleman either side please," she instructed clearly.

"I should go and get Acacia," Annabeth said forcefully, and the corner of my lips twitched. "She'd want to be in the photo too."

Medusa shook her head furiously, suddenly looking a little nervous. I almost smirked at the idea. "Of course not! Your little friend will be fine, I'm sure she has bigger things to worry about." I pursed my lips tightly, gripping the bow and arrow and double checking the aim.

"What does that mean?" Percy asked harshly. Taking a deep breath, I risked a quick glance around the statue, wondering how best to kill her. I was almost certain she'd see me if I tried to shot her with an arrow, and twice as sure I couldn't create enough lightning to kill her without taking out Percy, Annabeth and Grover too, and I was _positive_ the gods wouldn't thank me for that.

"Hey, where's your camera?" Grover suddenly asked stupidly.

"Uh-oh," I groaned.

"Big smiles dears!" Medusa beamed, ignoring Grover and lifting a hand to her veil. I shuffled back an inch and aimed over the head of the statue, setting the arrow for her throat, the top sparking dangerously.

"Look away from her!" Annabeth squealed, shoving her Yankees cap on her head. She vanished from sight in the same second, and Percy and Grover were suddenly pushed to the ground by an invisible force. My mouth set into a hard line the moment they were out of the way and my hand released the arrow, automatically reaching for another as I spun to avoid looking at her.

"Acacia!" Grover yelled in surprise, and I found myself cursing him as Medusa leapt out of my line of fire with a loud screech. The arrow shot past her, thudding into another plant and exploding with a crack of lightning.

"Next time, Grover, DON'T YELL!" I shouted back at him. All I got in reply was an apologetic bleat. Rolling my eyes, I was suddenly focused on Percy, who was groaning and pushing himself upright . . . about to look Medusa directly in the eyes.

"PERCY, NO!" Gritting my teeth, I bolted forward, weaving through the statues as fast as I could. The second I reached Percy, I snatched a handful of his shirt and yanked him behind another stone statue before Medusa even had time to turn. "_Do not_ look at her," I frowned irritably at him, breathing hard.

"What?" he asked, blinking a few more times that necessary.

"Percy, that's Medusa," I warned in a deliberate tone. "You want to end up the same as these statues?" He shuddered, shaking himself harshly. "Exactly. Where's Annabeth?"

"Here." I almost leapt out of my skin as she spoke from right beside me, obviously still wearing her Yankees cap. "Oh, sorry," I heard her apologise.

I took a deep breath, scanning the garden as Medusa squealed in rage. "We have to be able to see her," Percy frowned.

"There's a fountain over there," Annabeth's voice came. "To the left. You could see in the water's reflection. And there are glass balls all over the place. The image would be distorted, but it's better than nothing."

Before either me or Percy could reply, Grover's voice suddenly sounded desperately from the left. _"Maia!"_ In the same second, a satyr flew directly overhead.

"Oh, this won't go well," I grumbled under my breath, slinging my bow over my shoulder and pushing away from the statue. An ear-splitting crash of wood rang through the air, just as Grover gave a shout of triumph. Unfortunately, it was soon followed by a loud thud and a bleat of pain.

"Grover!" Percy shouted.

"Percy, catch!" I exclaimed, and he spun just in time to catch the glass ball I launched through the air at him. His face set and he pulled Riptide out in the same second, pushing himself to his feet and spinning the blade through his hands. I moved for the fountain, watching Percy and Medusa in the water's reflection. He was advancing on her, but she had far too much room to move while he was restricted by his sight. There was no way he could attack before she did. We needed a way to limit her space, fast.

Just as the thought crossed my mind, a vine jerked through the air, scratching the side of my face enough to draw blood. I gasped, ducking sideways as my cheek burned. But as I lifted a sleeve to rub the blood away, my eyes fixed on the surrounding plants, I caught my breath. "That's it," I breathed.

"What?" Annabeth shimmered into view beside me, her face pale and her eyebrows tight. I didn't answer her, shaking my head and bolting across the room to the furthest corner. Bending down, I yanked my knife out of my boot again and cut one of the many vine's free, pulling it to make sure the plant on the other end still had hold. It pulled back, so I figured that was a yes.

"Guys, this would be a great time for some sort of help!" Percy said, just as he dove behind another statue to avoid Medusa's gaze.

"Okay, I'm thinking!" Annabeth retorted sharply.

"Well think faster!" Percy snapped as the statue he was hiding behind blew up into a million tiny shards. Steeling myself, I pulled an arrow from my quiver and tied the end of the vine tightly to the end, double checking the strength. Without waiting for any advice from Annabeth, I loaded the arrow into my bow and drew it back, aiming straight between Percy and Medusa.

"Acacia, wait!" Annabeth suddenly shouted, but I released it before she could say another word. Lightning cracked along it as it sped across the room, but the arrow embedded itself in the wall with everything still intact. "Acacia, what on Earth are you doing?" Annabeth breathed loudly over the sound of Medusa cackling. Apparently, she thought I wasn't a very good aim.

I didn't hang around though. Instead, I raced as fast as I could to the other corner, repeating the process and shooting another arrow in the opposite direction. Aware that Annabeth was still shouting advice at Percy, Grover was nursing a wound, and Percy himself was a minute away from being turned to stone, I moved as fast as I could, shooting as many arrows and as many vines as humanly possible.

"Oh," Annabeth's breath came as she realised what I was doing. Loading a last arrow, I shot it as close to Medusa as I could while she had her back turned, then ducked behind a statue as she whipped around. The shriek of irritation that followed made my lips twitch, but there was still one thing left to do.

"Percy, get ready!" I called, dropping the bow with a gulp and reaching up to wrap a hand around the last vine I'd shot.

"Ready for what?" he scoffed.

"Just aim!" I snapped back. "I'm pretty sure I'll only be able to do this once!"

"What in the name of the gods-"

He cut off abruptly as lightning cracked dangerously across the many vines circling Medusa. I'd managed to pen her into a small square, no more than three or four feet either way. The vines were constantly charged with lightning and low enough that she couldn't duck under, while still high enough to be impossible to climb over. All it needed was an extra power source to disorientate her long enough for Percy to attack.

So, without thinking about the ramification, I closed my eyes tightly and held on. My gut tugged sharply, sending jolts of pain up my spine as lightning cracked loudly throughout the room. Annabeth gasped, Grover bleated, and I was sure I heard Percy curse. All of that was drowned out by the shrieks coming from Medusa, half annoyed, half agonised.

"Acacia, it's not enough!" Percy managed to yell over the noise.

"Percy, she can't!" Annabeth scolded, but I clenched my free hand to stop it from shaking and forced myself to give everything I had.

The ground shook beneath us, so hard that the building was beginning to crumble. The temperature suddenly dropped well below freezing as thunder boomed outside, and the air caught harshly in my throat. With one last effort, lightning cracked thunderously, and Medusa cried out in horror. But the sound seemed to come from far off. It was as though someone was stuffing my ears full of cotton wool to stop me from hearing. My head was spinning, and my hand dropped from the vine as every muscle in my body shut down.

I heard was Annabeth yelling my name as darkness fell over me.

The next thing I knew, freezing cold water brought me back around, and I bolted upright with wide eyes, choking and spitting the water out as fast as I could.

"Oh, thank the gods," Annabeth breathed, lowering her face into her hands and mumbling under her breath. She, Percy and Grover were hovering at my sides, all looking a shade or two too pale.

"Hey," Percy smiled shakily. "We thought you were a goner."

I scoffed, running a quivering hand through my hair. "Should have probably warned you about that, huh?"

Annabeth head snapped up so quickly, her neck cracked. She didn't even blink. Instead, she glowered at me, so annoyed I thought I could see steam coming out of her ears. "You _knew_ this was going to happen?"

Her voice was level and dangerous, and Percy and Grover exchanged a stunned look. I raised an eyebrow cautiously. "Well, err, yeah," I answered. "I've done it before. Only once mind, it really takes it out of me."

I was pretty sure it wasn't possible for Annabeth to look any angrier. "I thought you were dead!" she snapped at me, smacking my leg irritably. "And all this time you knew you'd wake up? Are you _trying_ to give me heart failure?"

My eyes widened a fraction, and I gulped hard before I answered her. "There wasn't exactly time to explain," I pointed out.

"So help me, Acacia Grace," she glowered, pushing herself to her feet and stalking off, mumbling about daughters of Zeus under her breath.

"Well," Percy started uncertainly. "Good to see you up, maybe we should . . . err, get moving. Can you stand?" I nodded once, allowing him and Grover to help me to my feet. Before we could move more than a few steps, someone cleared their throat loudly.

The three of us spun, Percy reaching for Riptide as my hand inched toward the locket around my neck. The woman in front of us barely blinked at the movements. Her black hair was woven into a braid and her brown eyes looked oddly hostile. Her dress was golden, the colour of a wheat field. It took me all of three seconds to realise that this was Demeter.

"Acacia Grace," she said, and it made me shudder to notice she said it with almost the same amount of dislike as Hera did. "That was quite a performance. You certainly adapted well to the situation, though it might have been a slight overkill. And I was rather fond of the idea of having all of this nonsense over and done with by now."

"You wanted her to kill us?" Percy frowned, and I jabbed him harshly with my elbow.

Demeter shot him a cool look. "It's nothing personal, Perseus Jackson. I just find it incredibly boring to hear nothing but you and Acacia Grace. However, be that as it may, I am told I'm obliged to tell you that you've passed your test, Grace. Resourcefulness and adaptability are rather necessary attribute for your . . . future. Do not let my trust go to waste."

"Of course not," I replied, not entirely sure what she meant by _future_.

She stared at me for a moment, then scoffed with a wry roll of her eyes. "I suppose good luck is adequate. I doubt Hera will let you live much longer, whatever she tells Zeus." She didn't sound remotely bothered by the prospect, but I gathered passing her test was enough. If she didn't want to kill me as well, I couldn't complain.

Without another word, Demeter disappeared in a blinding golden light.

"That was . . . weird," Percy murmured. I didn't bother correcting him, taking a deep breath and making my way delicately back toward Annabeth. The excessive use of lightning had made my muscles weak and my stomach sore, but I was conscious, which was a good sign, and I knew the feeling would most likely disappear overnight. I just hoped we weren't attacked again before then.


	16. Chapter Fifteen: Nightmares

While we were there, we took the opportunity and raided Medusa's kitchen for something to eat. It wasn't like she was going to need it anymore.

Sighing heavily, I slumped into the bench in the eating area, resting my head on my folded arms. My eyelids were growing heavy, and before I could stop them, they closed of their own accord. I vaguely heard Annabeth murmuring worriedly in the background, while Percy hurried around, messing with a bunch of stuff I couldn't be bother to ask about. Right now, I wasn't particularly sure I wanted to know.

"Acacia?" Annabeth asked cautiously, shaking my arm so gently I wondered if she was really trying to wake me. "Acacia, we have to leave."

"Preferably before Hera finds you still here," Percy added sourly.

That woke me up quick enough. Groggily, I lifted my head and blinked a few times, yawning loudly. Annabeth gave me a pitiful look, her lips pursing into a small, thin line. I wasn't sure what was worse; the pity or the anger. Grover placed a plate of food down in front of me and, although my stomach groaned loudly, urging my hand to take the burger, the sight made me sick. I gulped, shaking my head apologetically and pushing the plate away.

"You need to eat," Annabeth sighed heavily, sitting down opposite.

I gulped again, wiping the sleep from my eyes and blinking furiously. "I'm not hungry," I lied.

Grover snorted, pushing the plate back at me. "Your stomach could cause an earthquake," he corrected, frowning at me. "Eat." Reluctantly, I picked the burger up and took a bite. I swallowed it with difficulty, wondering if my teeth had become incredibly blunt, because large lumps seemed to stick in my throat.

I choked loudly, blinking some more and turning to Percy to distract me. "What are you doing?" I asked him carefully. He looked up at me for a second with a far too innocent expression and Annabeth peered over his shoulder.

"Oh, don't be ridiculous," she rolled her eyes dramatically. Percy just shrugged. In his hand, he held a cardboard box with a delivery slip attached to it. He popped some money into the little bag and with the cling of a cash register, it disappeared. Annabeth groaned, mumbling to herself.

"Loosen up a bit, would you?" he frowned at her. "Look." He held out a slip of paper and she snatched it off him, scowling. But whatever she read made her smile.

"This is great! We know where we're going!" she beamed.

I yawned loudly, stretching. "Can we sleep first?" I asked her, shifting in my seat and lowering my head again. She pinched me and Sasha, who we'd finally remembered to let in, whined in protest, but nudged my knee.

_We shouldn't stay here, my lady,_ she said wisely. _Perhaps if we found somewhere a bit more safe._

"Safe?" I snorted. "I don't think safe is an option anymore Sasha." Sasha whined in her throat again, but continued to nudge my knee. Groaning, I sat back up and glanced at Annabeth. "Anywhere in particular we can hide from a psychotic goddess?"

My answer: No. There was nowhere to hide from Hera. Well let's face it, she's a goddess and we were three twelve year old demigods and a satyr who quivered a lot. Oh, and a wolf who never left my side. Still, she couldn't protect me from a goddess. Especially not Hera. She had odd ways of getting to people. Like Hercules. She made him go insane and kill his family... how many times? Two? Three? I couldn't remember. I shuddered at the thought of what she might make me do to Percy, Annabeth and Grover.

We settled for a clearing in the woods, as far away from Medusa's place as we (by we, I mean I) could manage. I was that tired by the time we got there, I actually collapsed. If I had the energy to be embarrassed, I would have burned red after Percy caught me before I hit the ground.

Demigods don't have normal dreams. This was a fact I'd slowly begun to remember over my stay at Camp Half-Blood, but this particular dream cast any remaining doubt from my mind pretty quickly. I suppose it was never really very bad for me since my memory had been wiped, apart from the memories of my life before Zeus sent me to Scotland. They were bad enough mind. Hades and the Underworld? Defending my mother from numerous monsters almost every day for three years? Not something a girl likes to be reminded of. But these dreams took the prize for most disturbing. Definitely.

I was stood at the end of a very long, narrow stone path. At either side, it was simply air, but the drop was terrifying. I got as close to the edge as I dared, then looked down. Was it me, or did that look like New York? From, like, really high up? Frowning, I took a step back and glanced behind me. There was what looked like an elevator door, but it was chained shut, as though I was being held here against my will.

_It's just a dream Acacia_, I kept telling myself. But I knew demigod's dreams are more than just dreams. They always are. I turned around again and my breath caught in my throat. At the end of the stone path, white marble steps ran up the spine of a cloud and disappeared into more of them. Yet, you could see Mount Olympus beyond that.

From the top of the clouds rose the decapitated peak of a mountain, it's summit covered in snow. Clinging to the mountain sides were dozens of multileveled palaces, all with white columned porticos, gilded terraces and bronze braziers glowing with a thousand fires. Roads wound crazily up to the peak, where the largest palace gleamed against the snow. There were gardens everywhere, blooming with olive trees and rose bushes. There was also an open air market filled with colourful tents, a stone amphitheatre built on one side of the mountain, a hippodrome and coliseum on the other side.

You could see why I knew it was Mount Olympus, right? I mean, decapitated peaks of mountains rarely float thousands of feet above New York.

I didn't get it. Why was I visiting Mount Olympus in my sleep? How did I know this was really what it looked like? Who knows what could be influencing what I was seeing right now! Still, I started toward the marble steps, my stomach churning uncomfortably. Every step echoed loudly, but no matter what I did, nothing quieten them. I stopped trying.

Walking through Olympus, my stomach tightened so much I thought I might be sick. Everywhere was eerily quiet, as though they were all attending someone's funeral. Instruments had been left abandoned where the muses usually played and swords from someone training had been left on the floor.

Without realising, my feet had taken me to the Central Courtyard. I gazed around nervously, intimidated by the sheer size of the place. But I carried on walking. For some reason, I was pretty sure no one could tell I was here, even if there were people to see. I stopped outside an open door for a moment. Hushed, urgent whispers could be heard coming from that direction and I instantly knew something was wrong.

I moved forward.

The throne room was built up and grand, even more so than the rest of Mount Olympus. Columns rose to hold the ceiling and twelve thrones were arranged in an inverted-u shape, just like the cabins at Camp Half-Blood. All were occupied by a god, apart from two; the head throne at the right and the one to its immediate left. The ceiling wasn't really a ceiling, but the night sky, showing every constellation there was. By the hearth, there was another throne, on which a god sat. He was dressed in black silk robes and his skin was albino white. His hair was shoulder length and jet black. Hades seemed to radiate power.

People lined the outside edge of the room. Some looked like demigods, some looked as though they could be minor gods and goddesses. With a jolt, I recognised some of the campers from Camp Half-Blood. Annabeth and Clarisse stood at either side of Chiron, looking absolutely terrified. Their eyes were glued to the gods in the middle of the room.

Poseidon stood on the left, his expression looking oddly out of place on his face. Don't ask how I knew it was Poseidon, maybe because he looked so much like Percy. Deeply tanned skin, sea-green eyes, black hair, but he had a beard too. He wore leather sandals, khaki Bermuda shorts and a Tommy Bahama shirt with coconuts and parrots all over it. In one hand, he held a blue-green trident, it's tips glowing dangerously.

Opposite him stood my father, Zeus. His stormy grey eyes were narrowed dangerously and his tie sat slightly lopsided around his throat. His suit looked like it was smoking, literally. He was that angry, all I could smell was ozone. I frowned, wondering why he wasn't holding his own symbol of power, the Master Bolt. Then horror and realisation settled in. I was witnessing the fight after Zeus found his bolt gone.

Oh damn.

"You dare accuse me?" Poseidon snarled angrily. Zeus snorted and in the background, I saw Hera groan loudly. I scowled.

"I know you're after my throne Poseidon," Zeus spat. "You have been for ages!"

"And how do you think I would go about stealing your Master Bolt?" Poseidon glowered. "Who would do such a task for me?"

"How am I supposed to know who you twisted to your will?" my father spat. "As though anyone would stand up to a god!"

"So you accuse me of blackmail and threatening someone weaker than myself too?" his brother spat. His hand tightened around his trident and the tips glowed even brighter. A few gods and goddess sat forward in their thrones, frowning down at the brothers cautiously. I recognised Apollo, slumping in his seat with his iPod headphones deep in his ears. His eyes were closed, but his eyebrows were pulled together slightly, as though he was trying to piece together a puzzle in his head. I had a funny feeling it wasn't about Zeus and Poseidon.

I also recognised Demeter. She scowled at her two brothers, apparently annoyed they were disturbing her peace. In fact, when I looked around, not one god looked bothered. Beside Poseidon's empty throne, a vicious looking bloke with huge muscles and a load of scars was sat forward in his seat, smirking slightly as though he wanted them to start beating each other up. That had to be Ares. Beside him sat Apollo, his eyes still closed. Beside him sat an ugly looking fella, that had been burned so many times I was surprised he had any skin left. I gathered that was Hephaestus. When I glanced at the seat next to him, I thought for a moment it was Luke. But he was older and had a mobile phone in his hands. Hermes.

The other side of the room was dedicated to the goddesses. Of course, I knew Hera and Demeter, who sat closest to Zeus. I had to stare at the woman next to Demeter for a moment before I realised it was Athena. She had the same startling grey eyes as Annabeth, but her hair was black. Next to Athena sat a twelve year old girl. For a moment, I wondered why. But her auburn hair was tied back tightly and her eyes were a silvery-yellow, reminding me vividly of the moon. Artemis. Beside her sat an incredibly beautiful woman, who was busying applying makeup to her already covered face. Aphrodite. I had to refrain the snort when I saw Dionysus at the end. Well, Hestia was supposed to be sat there, but she had given up her throne to keep the peace. Fair enough really.

None of the gods looked ready to intervene. Just to check my theory, I gulped and stepped forward, moving toward Zeus and Poseidon. No one noticed me. No one could see me.

"HEY!" I yelled. Nothing. "What the...?"

Suddenly, the image blurred and disappeared. It was as though it was a cloth and someone was pulling it from one side. I staggered in surprise for a moment, but blinked furiously. I was now stood on the edge of a chasm. I was surrounded by the dark and whispering voices that sent a shudder down my spine. My chest tightened in fright and I had a funny feeling I had been here before.

"Try all you can, little hero," a cold, taunting voice came.

The sound made me freeze on the spot, fear shooting through me so fast I almost fell to my knees. That voice . . . I heard it so often while I was living with my mother. Nearly every night. Just thinking about it terrified me. But now . . . now I realised it wasn't just a bad dream that I could ignore. Whatever this was, it wasn't good, and wasn't going anywhere.

"You think you can stop Zeus and Poseidon from starting a war?" it was saying in a quiet, drawling voice. "You think _that_ is your biggest worry?" I wasn't sure whether or not I was supposed to answer, but I didn't think I could. Breath caught in my throat and it was all I could do not to choke weakly.

The voice laughed harshly. "Help me, little girl," it demanded.

I suddenly found my voice. "No," I snapped defiantly. I had no idea what the voice was or who it belonged to, but I was positive it was coming from the chasm. I shuddered, figuring it was down there for a reason.

"The gods are using you, my dear," it sighed, as though it was pained to tell me this. "You really think they would ever need a weak little demigod like yourself? They are playing games with you and you are going to be killed. Help me and I will help you. You will get your revenge and no longer be small and weak."

"Hey, _pal_," I snarled sarcastically. "I am _not_ weak." The voice laughed and I instantly felt... sort of weak. _No,_ my mind yelled at me, _don't fall for this! Wake up!_

"You are very weak, hero," the voice laughed cruelly. "If you will not help me..."

_Wake up!_ my mind urged. _Now! Wake!_

"I shall have to destroy you." The voice lost its laugh and became cold and hard.

"WAKE UP!"

I almost leapt out of my skin. My upper half had bolted up and I gasped, breathing heavily. My eyes were wide and scared, I knew that much. Grover paled instantly and Annabeth and Percy, kneeling at either side of me, staring at me in worry.

"Hey, are you alright?" Percy asked carefully. "You look like you've just seen a ghost." I gulped and tried to take a calming breath, but it just got me more worked up. I had to move. Without answering him, I staggered to my feet and straightened out, shaking myself.

"Can we just get moving?" I asked quietly. "I can't stay still anymore." Percy frowned at me, but nodded. Grover bleated nervously, shaking and pale. I tried to smile, but I think it came out as a grimace.

"Yeah, well, erm," Annabeth stuttered. "There's this poodle, and-"

"A poodle?" I repeated, forgetting my fear for a moment and staring at her with raised eyebrows. Sasha made a disapproving noise in her throat, lay at my feet with her head resting on her paws. "A poodle? We're now getting help from _poodles?_"

"I told you it was weird," Percy smirked triumphantly.

Annabeth scowled. "Look, long story short, we take the poodle home, claim the reward and buy train tickets to Denver. Easy enough to understand?" Percy and I exchanged a look.

"Is she calling us stupid?" he asked thickly. I snorted, but Annabeth groaned loudly and whirled around, scooping up some poodle I hadn't seen before. Percy smirked and followed her, his hand tight around the sword in his pocket. Something about the way he walked told me I wasn't the only one having strange dreams.


	17. Chapter Sixteen: Leap Of Faith

Getting on the train was easy. Staying on it... well that was different. Three ADHD kids, sitting still for any length of time was a bad idea. Add a satyr and a wolf and it's even worse.

Percy spent half his time pacing the length of the train, Annabeth busied herself with her thoughts and Grover tried to resist eating the furniture, all while I tried to keep myself awake. I couldn't get the dream out of my head, and I definitely didn't want a repeat of it, particularly not with the others so near. Trying to sit still long enough to figure it out was pointless, so I didn't even bother trying. Maybe I was better off not knowing. I had enough to deal with, without having someone else trying to kill me. I felt a little better knowing that Sasha was with me, but she spent most of the time sleeping or criticising Percy and Grover.

To make matters worse, Percy was now wanted for the disappearance of his mother and for blowing up a bus. It didn't do his mood any good, but I didn't complain. I couldn't even begin to imagine what that must have felt like for him. Annabeth, on the other hand, seemed to have forgotten that part.

Locking a daughter of Athena and a son of Poseidon in one small compartment was a bad idea. They argued so loudly, they woke Grover up numerous times. He would mumble darkly under his breath, then try and get back to sleep again. But it was never long before Annabeth and Percy started again.

"Could you guys give it a rest?" I finally snapped loudly, feeling every inch of my body tense as they argued. They turned and blinked at me like they didn't understand why I was annoyed. "We have been on the bloody train for an entire day. Sit down. Shut up. Go to sleep, I don't care. Just quit arguing!"

The two of them exchanged mystified looks, but Annabeth pursed her lips and sat down delicately on the seat next to me. With a cautious glance in my direction, Percy followed her example, his eyebrows still tight and his lips moving soundlessly.

"Maybe it would be good to get off the train for a little while," Annabeth suggested, almost hopefully. Percy snorted irritably as I raised an eyebrow at her, ignoring Grover's snores. "Well, the train is pulling into the next station soon and it will be a few hours before it moves on again. I thought we could go and see that." She pointed out of the window at a large arch that stood in the distance, and I had to bite my lip to stop myself groaning.

"The world is about to end, and you want to go _sightseeing?"_ Percy gawped.

Annabeth rolled her eyes with a locked jaw. "Stop being so melodramatic," she retorted sharply. "Besides, there's nothing better to do. And there's plenty of space." He pulled a face at her.

"Space sounds good," I sighed. "But I swear, if the two of you make one more comment to each other-"

"We won't," Annabeth insisted, smiling at me and jumping to her feet. Percy shot me an exasperated look, and I grimaced back, patting his shoulder as I followed Annabeth off the train.

As it turned out, the arch lay a mile from the train station. We had to make our way through the underground, looking at covered wagons and a load of junk from the eighteen-hundreds. Sasha sniffed everything interestedly, but complained how the underground always stank of monsters. But I was quickly discovering that that was the least of my worries. Just being below ground, surrounded by dark, damp walls, I felt my legs weaken and my head spin. It took every ounce of restraint I had not to turn and wait for them back on the train. Percy and Grover, who must have realised I was less than comfortable, had taken to walking at either side of me in case I collapsed.

I breathed a sigh of relief when we stepped into the elevator. The moment it moved above ground, I felt myself relax and unwind, gradually regaining any strength I had lost on the trip here. Then my stomach gave a sharp twist. The hairs on the back of my neck were suddenly on end, as though something was crawling up my spine. I shuddered at the thought, ignoring the strange looks I was getting from the others.

"No parents?" a fat lady asked Percy. I shivered, goosebumps raising on my arms. I didn't understand it, but pulled the sleeves of my jacket over my hands and crossed my arms over to stop myself moving anymore. Grover frowned curiously at me.

The woman had beady eyes, the sort that freaked me out. Her teeth were pointy and coffee stained, as though she spent all day sharpening them and drinking coffee on breaks. A floppy denim hat sat on her head and she wore a denim dress that bulged a lot, making me picture all-too-vividly a denim blimp.

"They're down below," Annabeth said immediately. "They're sort of scared of heights." Percy snorted, paling slightly. She rolled her eyes at him in annoyance, and I groaned inwardly. Beside me, Sasha nudged my knee. Don't ask how she avoided the security here, because I have no idea. She just did. I suppose that's the good part of getting an immortal, enchanted wolf as a gift from the Goddess Artemis.

When we were finally out of the elevator, I felt even worse. My stomach wouldn't stay still, as though it was trying to warn me of something. How on earth would my stomach now something was wrong before I did? That was just ridiculous. Percy peered through the windows, pursing his lips tightly to stop himself throwing up.

"Why did you even come up then?" Annabeth snapped angrily, annoyed he was ruining it.

"Splitting up didn't sound like a good idea at the time," he replied weakly. She groaned and turned her back to him, reverting to chatting at Grover about structural supports and things that they had done wrong in the design. Like windows.

"Gods, can we go now?" Percy moaned. Annabeth shot him an evil look, but the park ranger chuckled at him, patting his shoulder.

"The observation deck is closing now anyway lad," he smiled. "Maybe you should stick to the ground in future."

"Or water," Percy muttered irritably, gulping. Annabeth scowled at him, stalking for the elevator and dragging Grover with her. He sent me a pleading look, but I just shrugged.

"You really should've known heights wouldn't be your strong point," I grimaced at Percy. He frowned, but rubbed his stomach and didn't reply. "Come on then. We should get back to the train, anyway." But the elevators were full. Annabeth crossed her arms over her chest stubbornly as she and Grover disappeared behind the elevator doors. Percy groaned again, rolling his eyes.

"Really, what is her problem?" he frowned. "Just because my dad's Poseidon?" I chuckled, patting his shoulder sarcastically.

"You poor, naive fool," I grimaced. He scowled.

"Oh, excuse me dear," a lady said. I turned and my stomach dropped.

It was the fat lady. A dog that looked like a Chihuahua was stood at her feet, growling. Sasha snarled at it, over double its size, easily. But the tiny dog wouldn't go down without a fight. Sasha bared her teeth angrily, but as the dog barked, it grew in size.

"Uh-oh," I gulped as Percy choked in astonishment beside me.

The fat lady smiled widely. "You must be Acacia Grace," she chuckled evilly, her beady little eyes locked on mine. "Lady Hera tells me a lot about you." I felt the colour drain from my face. Now she was trying to killing me six hundred feet in the air? So much for this being my father's territory.

Percy and I backed up. The park ranger was staring, scared to death, at the Chihuahua. But its bark was getting louder and louder and its body was getting larger and larger. The bark was becoming a roar and it was the size of a lion. Only, it hadn't stopped growing. Sasha snarled protectively at my feet, but I knew she was no match for this.

"Oh no," I moaned quietly. "Chimera." Percy gulped loudly beside me. The beast's back scraped against the roof as he barked, foaming at the mouth. It had the head of a lion, its mane covered in blood. Its body was that of a giant goat, while it had a serpent's tail.

"I'm going to take a wild guess and say this isn't good," Percy gulped.

"Oh, how _did_ you come to that conclusion?" I breathed sarcastically, chest tightening nervously. My hands shook as I turned the bolts on my sheaths, but somehow I knew that swords weren't going to be much good against this thing. For a start, any cut my sword made would have been like a paper cut to this beast.

"Did you hope that Lady Hera had forgotten you, Daughter of Zeus?" the fat lady cackled. "The Queen of Heaven does not forget her enemies, little hero."

Little hero. The words rang in my ears tauntingly..

I remembered the terrifying voice at the bottom of that deep pit, remembered the cold, unwelcome feeling I had felt when I was stood at the edge of the chasm. Then I remembered my last game of Capture the Flag, when Luke and I had stood back to back and taken out eight demigods. When Sasha had chosen me. I had to have been chosen for a reason. There had to be something. What if Sasha was right? What if I could do a great good, as she put it? Could I let myself be beaten by this thing?

My answer; No. No way. The Underworld will suddenly sprout rose bushes and fluffy pink poodles before I give in to a monster, no matter how big. First things first, Percy. I refused to let Hera take him too.

"Percy, stay put," I muttered at him, prizing my locket open. The fat lady cackled again as I pulled my bow off my shoulders. "Oh, and praying to your father might be a good idea around about now," I added, casting a nervous glance at the winding water way down below.

"What? Why?" he asked, rightly worried.

"Just do as I say and don't hesitate, understand?" I mumbled back. I didn't wait for an answer. Taking a step forward, the Chimera snarled. Sasha barked loudly, lunging for its throat. It hardly noticed her, its beady black eyes fixed on me. Before I could change my mind, I ran.

I didn't want to move incredibly fast. I wanted it to see me move, to know what I was doing and where I was going. But I may have gone a little too slowly. As its front turned to follow me with a loud snarl, its tail flew toward me too, as though it was folding in on itself. With a gasp, I dropped to the ground and rolled underneath it.

The Chimera let out a howl of pain. I couldn't believe my luck. It had actually stabbed itself with its own tail. How stupid. But I didn't have time to marvel at my fortune. I pulled out an arrow quickly and aimed over its shoulder. The tip cracked with electricity and exploded the second it hit the wall. Percy staggered to the side, eyes wide. "Sorry!" I called with a grimace.

_"SORRY?" _he yelled back, staring at the wide hole I'd just made in the side of a national monument.

The park ranger went mad. Not only was he so terrified, I was sure I could see tears streaming down his cheeks, but now he was pale and angry too. His fingers scraped at the emergency exit, trying and failing to get away. There was no way I was ever letting him or Percy die.

"Percy, you've got to jump," I ordered. The fat lady cackled again, and Percy's eyes widened as though he thought I was crazy.

"_Are you insane?_" he gasped.

"Jump into the water, not the ground!" I snapped, just as the Chimera found its target again. I only just managed to dodge the tail. "PERCY! GO! NOW!" He hesitated, staring out of the hole. With a sigh, he paled and moved his lips soundlessly. He jumped. Gulping and backing up slightly, I turned to Sasha.

"Sasha, get the mortal out of here," I ordered. Sasha barked indignantly, her voice a confused worried stream that I couldn't make out. "Sasha, please!" With a whine, she leapt around the Chimera gracefully and toward the park ranger.

"Now just for you, ey dear?" the fat lady hissed.

"Not quite," I shrugged, flicking my gaze toward her as Sasha clawed at the emergency exit.

"Whatever do you mean?" she said, almost caringly. "We can't leave you out, that wouldn't be fair."

"I'm sure I'd cope," I muttered sourly, pulling out another arrow. The Chimera snarled, so loud the Arch shuddered. Now I wasn't scared of heights, but I had no illusions that I would suddenly sprout wings should I fall. It wasn't like any of us could survive that fall, even if Percy could.

My eyes widened. That was it. None of us could.

I pulled the bow back, thankful for the pure force of an explosion. The Chimera snapped its jaws together and I was sure its throat was glowing with what looked like fire. Brilliant. My timing had to be impeccable. I was relieved I had practised so hard at Camp, yet suddenly annoyed I hadn't got as much time as I would have hoped. The bow had been pulled back as far as it could and the Chimera opened its mouth yet again. I released it instantly.

The explosion was greater than I had expected. The park ranger and Sasha had finally opened the emergency exit and were clambering into it, just as the Chimera blew up. The force sent me flying back, slamming into the wall of the Arch with such brutality I felt my insides continue to move long after I had stopped. The fat lady squealed in horror as the Arch was torched just that little bit more. I could almost picture Annabeth's face.

I wasn't sure how I did it. After the explosion, the fat lady and her dog had disappeared. I was pretty sure that the force had sent her flying out the same hole as Percy, but I couldn't be sure. By some miracle, I was still alive and still on the top of the Arch, not free falling to the ground. I didn't know if it wouldn't last though. Probably not.

"Ow," I complained, staggering forward and falling to my knees. I didn't have much time to contemplate my situation though, because a bright golden light emitted in the air right in front of me. I barely had time to close my eyes.

"You just don't know when to die, do you?" Hera spat angrily. I stumbled to my feet, refusing to be so low down in front of her. She might've developed delusion of grandeur.

"I never was one to follow instructions," I breathed, rubbing my side with a sharp wince. Hera's eyes flashed furiously, but the sky clamped with thunder and lightning. Her jaw tightened and her eyes narrowed.

"You will not succeed, Acacia Grace," she snarled.

"I thought you weren't bothering trying to kill me," I frowned. "Thought you didn't need the bad press."

Hera snorted, her jaw locking in place and her eyebrows pulling together. "I couldn't resist. And who says I'm trying to kill you? Have you ever wondered what my test for you would be?"

I choked. "This was it?" I asked, stunned.

"Don't be ridiculous," Hera snapped impatiently. "I have not decided what your test will be. It is hard to think of something that would ever lead to you proving yourself. You might have the others fooled, but not me."

"Of course not," I muttered, rolling my eyes. Hera's forming glowed suddenly and I whipped around. Every muscle in my body protested violently at the sudden move and I gasped, but Hera had vanished. Gods, some people were so melodramatic.

Security found me not long after. I was hurried down the emergency exit and toward a bunch of medics. Sasha barked loudly, leaping toward me and skidding to a halt defensively at my feet. She bared her teeth at the nearest medic, just to prove she had my back again. I smiled wryly and patted her head reassuringly. The man that had brought me down started yelling at the medics to help, but only one moved. I was sat down on the back of an ambulance as the man moved toward me, Sasha stood straight at my feet.

"Look, I'm fine," I sighed heavily. The man smirked knowingly, touching my rib cage delicately. I gasped loudly and Sasha was instantly snarling at the man, shaking. "Sasha, relax," I muttered, scowling up at man with my lips pursed.

He chuckled dryly. "That was incredibly brave of you, Acacia Grace," he said. I froze and Sasha immediately fell silent. Only two groups ever knew my name without being told. Gods and monsters. This guy had better not fall into the second category.

His skin was deeply tanned and his hair was a jet black. He met my gaze and I was sure I recognised those seagreen eyes. Crinkles surrounded them, as if he spent his entire life smiling. His beard was exactly the same shade as his hair and he looked reasonably strong and athletic. I tried to place him, but I was exhausted.

"Erm, thanks," I mumbled. The man chuckled again.

"Here," he said, holding out a small block. Ambrosia. I took it warily, frowning slightly. He waited patiently, his eyes sparkling. I felt my eyebrows raise.

"Poseidon?" I asked quietly. He smiled.

"I want to thank you for your faith in me Acacia," he said, watching as I shoved the ambrosia into my mouth reluctantly. "Not many people would have trusted me with a six hundred foot fall."

"Percy trusted you," I corrected. Poseidon raised an eyebrow. I felt myself going red. "Not that I don't, but-"

He laughed, holding up a hand to silence me. "Percy followed your instructions," he pointed out. "It is true that he had to trust me too, but if it hadn't have been for you, he might be dead right now."

I dropped my gaze to my feet, gulping. "If it hadn't been for me, the Chimera would never have been there," I muttered darkly. Poseidon sighed heavily, leaning against the ambulance beside me.

"There are a lot of things that we cannot change. Perhaps you should accept that Hera's mind might be one of those things." I opened my mouth to argue, but he held up his hand again, smiling wryly. "The rest of the council is more than capable of making their decision without her. She wouldn't tell you, of course, but Zeus has already decided that her vote counts for very little. We all know how biased she is when it comes to his demigod children." I remained silent. I supposed it was a good thing that I wouldn't have to prove myself to Hera, but still, I knew she wouldn't give up trying to kill me. How on earth was I supposed to avoid that?

"What if Percy, Annabeth or Grover get hurt, just because she is trying to kill me?" I asked. "I can't let them die because I'm too stubborn to admit that I'm out of my depth."

"You are not out of your depth, Acacia," Poseidon frowned sternly. "The others are perfectly capable of looking after themselves and Hera would never intentionally hurt Percy or Annabeth."

"But I thought Athena was Zeus's daughter, but not Hera's. Wouldn't she hate her too?"

Poseidon sighed heavily, considering me for a moment. "They aren't what you would call close," he said carefully. "But Hera is all about family. It's the only thing that really matters to her. She can forget about Athena's mother as long as Athena fits the image of the perfect family. With how Athena was born, not many people even think about her mother." I vaguely remembered a story about how Zeus had swallowed her mother when he had found out she was pregnant. Was I the only one that could see patterns here? I mean, didn't Zeus's father swallow his siblings? My mind wandered, wondering if it was for the same reason.

Poseidon suddenly stood straight and I jumped a little. He smiled down at me and winked, pressing his fingers into my ribs again. I couldn't feel anything. I snorted in disbelief and he chuckled quietly, lowering his head. Just as I was about to ask why, someone yelled my name loudly.

"ACACIA!" Annabeth scurried toward me, followed by a wary Grover and an exhausted Percy. Sasha barked exasperatedly, sniffing at Percy curiously. He sent me a worried gaze, as though he thought Sasha would suddenly bury her teeth into his leg. I snorted, shrugging once. Poseidon glanced at me and with another wink, turned and walked away. I gulped, rubbing my side before jumping down and straightening myself out.

"Hey guys," I smiled. "Everyone okay?"

Annabeth gawped at me. "What do you mean? There was a huge explosion up there! It's a miracle you're still alive!"

I frowned. "Thanks for that," I muttered sarcastically.

"What happened?" Percy asked cautiously. "How did everything go up like that?"

"Chimera's breathe fire," I sighed. "Add the lightning from my arrow, equals big bang." Percy scowled at my simple tone, but shook himself. "Anyway, shouldn't we get back to the train?"

"Quickly before someone sees," Grover hissed. Annabeth and Percy didn't look pleased at the lack of information from me, but the four of us turned for the station, Sasha attached to my side.

I found myself staring around, but Poseidon had disappeared, just like all the gods did. I still didn't get it, but something the god had said gave me an idea. Hera treasured family more than anything else, but a perfect family. She forgot Athena's mother because Athena fit the image. She was the intelligent one. Could I ever make her forget my mother? I knew I didn't have to prove myself to her, but I didn't like the idea of doing something by halves. Then again, did I really want to put any effort into trying to prove myself? After all, she wasn't exactly the top of my Christmas card list.


	18. Chapter Seventeen: Home Sweet Home

I was still contemplating how to win Hera over when we got back to the train. Though Percy and Annabeth seemed to have had enough time and space to be reasonably civil to each other, neither of them were pleased about taking their seats in our tiny compartment again. Grover purposefully sat between the two of them, munching on a piece of scrap metal and insisting that I spread myself out and get some more sleep before the train stopped again.

"Grover's right, Acacia," Percy grimaced. "You look awful."

"Just what a girl wants to hear," I groaned with a roll of my eyes. "Thank you."

"For once, Percy might be right," Annabeth admitted grudgingly, ignoring the smug smirk that had suddenly crept across Percy's face. "You look like you could sleep for a week, and you've only completed one task. Not to mention the Underworld."

"Please don't," I grumbled, shifting to lay down and close my eyes. Neither of them said anything else, but I could feel their eyes burning through my skin for a moment or two longer.

Eventually though, they turned their attention to the route we needed to take to get to the Underworld while I tried to get some rest. It didn't take half as long as I thought it would to coax myself to sleep, though when I did, I had one of the strangest dreams to date. I wasn't sure what was so strange about it; the content, or the fact it wasn't about someone trying to kill me.

I couldn't make out where I was. Everywhere seemed to have a golden, warm glow that distorted my view, like I was staring through heavily tinted glasses. I thought I might have been stood somewhere in Camp Half-Blood. The twelve smudges in the valley ahead of me looked like they could have been the cabins.

But then, I was also sure I was stood on a wooden deck outside a large, low built building that seemed to be made of wood and glass. I _knew_ that the only building with a deck was the Big House, and that seemed to be stood far in the distance, while I was looking over the cabins. There was nothing built up here in Camp Half-Blood, I was sure of it.

Still, that was where I thought I was, as weird as it sounded. Although, considering I also felt a considerable amount older than my measly twelve years, I gathered my surroundings might not be my only problem. A blur that might have been Sasha was curled up a few feet away under the sun, perfectly relaxed. That in itself was strange; relaxed was one of the few states I'd never seen her in. People were running around down below in the valley, shouting happily to each other. Everything just seemed too . . . happy. Almost . . . perfect.

With no warning, arms wrapped themselves slowly around my waist, and I felt someone's chest press against my back. Despite the fact that this seemed far too intimate a gesture to be anyone I knew, I felt myself rest back against them, tilting my head back to lean on their shoulder. A soft chuckle blew warm air over my skin, and I shuddered as whoever was holding me pressed their lips gently onto my neck.

"Happy birthday, Ace," a quiet voice came, and I shivered again.

Then the golden glow got too bright. Suddenly, it was painful to look at, and my eyes flew open.

I was back in the train carriage. Percy had fallen asleep with his head resting against the window, his mouth hanging up a fraction. Grover was sleeping too, but he'd slumped to the floor, his head leant back against the chair as he snored softly. The only one who wasn't sleeping was Annabeth, who was glaring at a spot of the floor with a look so intense, it worried me slightly.

I cleared my throat awkwardly, pushing myself upright. My chest felt tight and heavy, as though someone had been sat on it. As I reached a hand up to rub it, my fingers brushed against the locket I was still wearing. My stomach twisted when I realised it was hot and uncomfortable to touch, searing my skin. Gulping hard, I slipped the chain from around my neck and stuffed it into my pocket.

"Annabeth?" I started, fidgeting when I heard my voice was hoarse and irritated.

The daughter of Athena jumped a little, blinking once and turning to meet my gaze. "Oh, Acacia, I didn't realise you were awake," she smiled shakily.

"Everything okay?" I questioned, fully aware that my hands were shaky at my sides. I wasn't entirely sure what that dream had been about, but I did know that I wasn't that close to anyone, _and_ I was only twelve.

"Oh, yeah," she nodded furiously. "I was just . . . thinking."

"Sounds ominous," I frowned.

She shook her head at me, taking a deep breath and trying to keep her face straight. "Everything's fine," she insisted. "We'll be fine."

I wasn't entirely sure I liked her tone of voice when she said that.

The train pulled into the station about an hour later. Annabeth took great pleasure in smacking Percy around the head to waking him up, while making sure to be careful with Grover. Sasha, on the other hand, stretched out from her spot beside me and yawned widely, showcasing her teeth right in Grover's face.

"She makes me really nervous sometimes," he admitted quietly. Sasha glanced back at me innocently, but her tail thumped in amusement. Smiling slightly, I followed Annabeth and a grumpy Percy out of the carriage and onto the platform at the station.

Annabeth thought we should contact Camp Half-Blood. Personally, I couldn't stand the idea of standing still. If Hera caught up with us . . . after what happened last time, I wasn't eager to let that happen again. But Annabeth was suddenly talking at us rapidly, going through what we should and shouldn't tell Chiron. Neither of the boys were listening. Grover was scanning the place for something to eat and Percy was trying to yawn without her noticing.

"Are you even listening to me?" Annabeth snapped, clicking her fingers impatiently in my face.

"No," I admitted simply, stepping around her to scan my surroundings. The more I saw, the deeper my frown became. With a twisting stomach, I slowly began to realise I'd been here before . . . worse than that, I thought I'd _lived_ here before.

"Look, you guys go ahead," I said slowly, eyes fixing to the end of the street. "There's a gas station about ten minutes in that direction." I pointed to my left without turning.

"How'd you know that?" Percy frowned.

I ignored him. "There's a self-service carwash a little further on. You should be able to contact Chiron from there. I'm going to find somewhere to eat." The three of them exchanged mystified looks, but Percy immediately shut Annabeth out and frowned at me in concern.

"But what if Hera catches up to you?" he asked

I shrugged as though the idea didn't make my heart speed and my stomach drop. "Then I'm nowhere near you guys," I answered calmly.

Sasha barked indignantly at my feet. _You need them my lady_, she warned. _No matter how annoying Perseus is._

"We're stronger together," Annabeth scowled. "Especially you and Percy. We shouldn't split up."

"Annabeth's right," Grover agreed.

I paused in my tracks and looked back at each of them curiously. Annabeth was desperately trying to keep her face straight, but her eyes glistened worriedly. Grover shuffled in his fake feet, barely managing to stop himself from bleating. Percy just stood with his hands in his pockets, frowning. It suddenly hit me how lucky I really was. These guys were willing to risk their own safety for mine, despite the fact I hadn't even known them for that long. The only trouble was, I needed to do this alone and I couldn't let them get hurt.

I smiled wryly at them. "I'll be fine," I dismissed.

"Acacia," Percy started.

"Seriously Percy, go and update Chiron and I'll meet you back here, I promise." I hesitated at the looks on their faces. "Trust me, please. I can't stand still and wait for something to happen. Annabeth, you know you need to contact Camp, so go do it."

"You shouldn't go alone," she told me, nudging Percy. He didn't need told twice apparently, because he took a step toward me. Sasha barked again, shuffling to my feet, but the others didn't seem to be paying attention.

"No," I scowled. "I said I'll be fine."

"And if one of the gods suddenly decides to test you?" he asked sourly.

"Then there is nothing you can do to help, is there?" I retorted, shrugging. "If I'm going to survive, then I need to cope on my own. Trust me, I can take care of myself."

"That's what Thalia thought too," Annabeth muttered, her bottom lip shaking.

I froze on the spot, face straightening. For a moment, I was speechless. I mean, what do you say to that?

"There's nothing you can do," I finally choked, turning before they could say anything else. I pulled myself around the corner and broke into a run, not really heading anywhere. So when I eventually did stop, I had no idea where I was. Or at least, I didn't for a moment.

I slumped onto a nearby low wall, taking a deep breath and lowering my face into my hands to block out the all-too-familiar sight of the street ahead. Sasha sat back and waited patiently, keeping quiet while I figured things out. Why had I let this happen? Annabeth and Grover had already lost Thalia and I looked so much like her . . . I know that shouldn't make a difference, but of course it did. The second the two of them looked at me, I could see it. Like when I first started at Camp, Annabeth couldn't be around me without tearing up. And now they cared about me as much as they had about Thalia. Would I really let them lose me, too?

Groaning, I jumped to my feet, restless. It took me a few glances for me to figure out why this street looked so familiar. Five houses lined each side of the road, cars parked by the garages and front gardens trimmed to perfection. All apart from one, at the very end.

As if in a trance, I started walking toward it, Sasha hot on my heels. A lump was forming in my throat and my heart was seizing up. If I continued at this rate, I wouldn't have to wait for the gods to kill me. My own heart would do the trick.

"Sasha, stay here," I muttered.

_But my lady-_

"Sasha please." She whined in protest, but lay down in defeat.

The garden was overgrown and wild, thorny branches sticking out between the planks on the fence. The paving stones leading to the house were crooked and uneven, the front door boarded up. All the windows had been put out and replaced with wood, a notice stuck to each one. Without hesitation, I hurried down the broken, uneven path and stopped abruptly at the door. The notice had a large '_WARNING_' wrote on it and my dyslexia could just about make out '_this building is unsafe to enter_' wrote underneath it. Still, I gave the door a shove. It swung open with a creepy creak.

The first thing I noticed was the musty smell that hit me like a wrecking ball the second I took a breath. The carpet in the hallway was old and worn, the doormat covered in filth. Wallpaper peeled from the walls and a painting hung lopsided at the end. My stomach twisted as I realised it was a painting of the world divided in three.

I stopped in front of it, unable to hold back a snort. The painted characters of Zeus and Poseidon looked nothing like them, and I prayed to my father that Hades didn't look quite that bad. I couldn't remember if I'd ever actually met him face to face, but if it were possible to be scared to death, I would have been if I saw that in real life. I shuddered, shaking the thoughts from my mind and turning into the dark doorway of the living room.

It was dark, damp and basically disgusting. A thick layer of dust covered everything and there was a pile of rubbish in the corner, where some homeless guy had spent the night. A small, thin line of light managed to squeeze between the gaps in the planks of wood over the windows, making the dust look even worse. I sighed heavily, my eyes burning.

I remembered this house, remembered the fights we had had in this very room. Why hadn't I remembered it was here, in Denver? My mother used to lie down on that very sofa, usually drunk. The broken television in the corner had been a result of Thalia losing her temper at her, and she apparently hadn't felt the need to replace it afterward. Everything that had happened here . . .

Gulping hard, I clenched my fists tightly to stop them shaking and turned toward the kitchen. Cupboard doors were hanging by their hinges, and empty bottles of alcohol were scattered along the work tops. I wasn't sure if they had been left there by my mother or another random homeless person. Right at that moment, I didn't really care.

My eyes locked onto the square table pushed against the wall to the left. A flash memory crept up on me again, the same one I'd had when I'd learnt about the three years I'd spent defending my mother from Hades. I saw how I'd sat in the furthest chair, worn out, battered and bruised after what I could only imagine was a severe encounter with far more than a couple of hellhounds. My eyes were drooping, and my hands wouldn't lie still on the table as my mother tried to wipe the blood off my knuckles. There were tears in her eyes, streaming down her cheeks as she worked silently. Did she realise then that I was only there for her? Did she know how often I wondered about what life would have been like if I'd let Thalia convince me to run away with her?

I didn't realise there were tears in my eyes until I heard footsteps behind me. Automatically, I reached for a sword, but my hand dropped to my side again when I heard Percy curse anxiously. "I thought you were going to talk to Chiron," I said, hurriedly wiping the tears from my eyes.

"I . . . err . . . A-Annabeth told me to find you," he stammered awkwardly. "She's at the car wash with Grover now."

I nodded silently, glancing at him over my shoulder. He was hovering in the doorway, unsure of what to do or say. His eyebrows were creased again, and he seemed halfway between concern and curiosity.

"I can wait outside, if you want," he shrugged.

"Don't worry about it," I sighed heavily, turning my back on the kitchen and slipping past him again. "It's not like there's much to see here anyway."

"And, err . . . where exactly are we?" he asked, and my lips pursed.

"My house," I told him evenly. His eyebrows rose a fraction. "My Mum's house."

There was a slight pause. "What happened to her?"

"Not sure," I admitted with a grimace, hating the way my voice shook. Percy flinched, his eyes meeting mine like he knew how I felt. "Chiron told me she'd died in an accident not long ago, but he didn't go into details. Probably drunk again." I waved a dismissive hand at one of the many alcohol bottles cluttering the abandoned house. "Surprised she lasted this long, to be honest."

"That's a little . . . harsh, isn't it?" he winced quietly.

I scoffed darkly, wiping away fresh tears before they had a chance to fall. "Not really. She wasn't brilliant after she lost one kid, and she was a wreck after she lost the second. There was a reason I put up with all those monsters, after all."

Percy's eyebrows tightened. "You had another sister?"

My throat tightened, but I shook my head. "Brother," I managed. "Long time ago." Glancing at sideways at him, I could tell he wanted to ask what had happened, but didn't dare open his mouth again. My lips tugged into a misplaced, sadden smile. "She lost him when he was two years old," I explained, my voice quivering again. "Thalia and me had only been gone a few minutes."

"I'm sorry," he mumbled.

"Don't be," I sighed. "Not your fault." Drumming my fingers along the wall, I took a deep breath and started through the hallway, aware Percy was following me. The thought that he felt he needed to make sure I was okay relaxed me slightly, and I found myself wondering if my long-lost brother would have been the same.

At the top of the stairs, I stopped outside the first door. Inside, the room was painted a sky blue, and a small cot stood in the corner where a spinning mobile hung overhead from the ceiling. Dusty stuffed toys had been stuffed inside it, and a woollen blanket was draped over the edge. The name _'Jason'_ had been sewn into it in blue string.

"Your brother's room?" Percy clarified. I nodded once, sniffing loudly as I pulled the door shut. Just looking at it all made me feel sick.

"Percy, I know this sounds weird but . . . don't mention him, okay?" I muttered, glancing at him with a small frown. "It's hard enough everyone going on about Thalia and the pine tree at Camp, and now Mum . . ."

"I won't say a word," Percy promised, and I knew he'd never break it. I had to restrain an odd laugh at the thought. If only it was as easy for Zeus and Poseidon to get along.

The next room along was quite a bit bigger. I couldn't tell what colour the walls had been because old, worn posters covered almost every inch. They showed pictures of a lot of bands I'd never heard of, and some of Thalia's favourite band, _Green Day._ A small space had been reserved for childish drawings that had mine and Jason's name scribbled in the corner. There were two beds, one at either side of the room.

The moment I took a step inside, something cracked under my foot and I instantly jumped back. Dust was covering whatever I had broken, yet shards of green glass could be seen poking through the thick layer. Slowly, I bent down to pick it up. My hands shook as I held it, squinting to see it properly. I didn't recognise it, but I supposed I could have forgotten. Frowning a little, I flipped it over in my hand and my insides froze.

On the back of the glass, the image of a peacock feather had been stamped in black ink.


	19. Chapter Eighteen: Caved In

"Tell me that isn't what I think it is," Percy pleaded quietly as he stared at it over my shoulder.

I didn't answer him. My heart was hammering and my blood was boiling in fury. She was using my own house against me now? "We need to leave," I insisted sternly, dropping the glass and spinning around. "Now." Percy nodded as thunder cracked loudly outside, rain suddenly splattering against the windows.

I followed Percy down the stairs, taking two at a time until we reached the front door. Percy's hand latched around the handle and pulled, but the door wouldn't budge. He shot me an exasperated look, and I took hold right beside him and put as much weight into it as possible. It still didn't move an inch.

"I don't think we're getting through there," he breathed, stepping away from the door with an irritated frown. My throat closed up at the thought of getting Percy caught in all this, and I could almost hear Poseidon telling me that Hera would never hurt Percy on purpose. I almost apologised.

Outside, I could hear Sasha's panicked barking and my heart seized. I wanted to yell, to tell her to get away from the building. Her claws scraped at the door, her voice an angry blur in my head. Whatever she was trying to do wasn't working. Anger faded and I gulped, hands pressed against the door anxiously. The walls of the house were trembling as though they couldn't stand the weight of the roof anymore.

Footsteps pounded back toward me, and Percy took a deep breath, shaking his head. "Back door locked as well," he muttered.

"ACACIA!" a shout came from outside. My heart stopped, and Percy's eyes widened.

"No," I breathed, shaking my head. My chest tightened so hard, it felt like my rib cage was pressing into my lungs.

"ACACIA!" Annabeth's scream came again.

"I don't think she can hear you!" Grover yelled over the noise of the thunder.

"GET BACK!" I shouted, slamming an angry fist into the door. "GET AWAY FROM THE HOUSE!"

"Can they hear?" Percy gulped, but from the sound of their yelling, I doubted it. I could almost see Hera's smug face. I had known there was nothing I could do to save myself from her anger, but Percy, Annabeth, Grover, Sasha . . . the fact I couldn't do anything for them irritated me so much more. They were the closest thing I had to family on this side of the Atlantic. If I couldn't help them, how on Earth could I ever do anything for the gods?"

"THE ENTIRE HOUSE IS GOING TO COLLASPE ON TOP OF MY BEST FRIEND, AND YOU'RE COMPLAINING THAT I AM SHOUTING?" Annabeth screamed at Grover. I scowled, heart almost bursting out of my chest. I could feel my body shaking in anger, my jaw locked. Thunder ripped the air again, and the temperature in the house dropped to well below freezing. Outside, Annabeth and Grover stopped yelling.

"There has to be a way out of here," Percy said desperately, and I shifted, thinking through every situation I'd ever been in while I lived here. I remembered a time when six hellhounds had chewed through the front door and tried to attack my mother, and another time when a monster I'd never heard of before shot through the window and wouldn't stay still long enough for me to target. And of course, there was that time Tisiphone managed to break in through the basement and . . .

"Basement," I breathed, wide eyed. "The basement! I was forever driving monsters out of there."

"That fills me with confidence," he groaned, but I ignored him and hurried past up to the other end of the hallway. Just before I came to the painting of the Big Three, I turned left, where an old door was locked with a rusty padlock. I paused, debating whether or not going underground right now was a good idea, but a pointed look from Percy made me shake the thought away. Stepping back, I slammed my foot into the door right beside the lock, just as the house gave a sudden violent tremble. The door burst open with a resounding crack, banging loudly on the wall behind it.

"Here goes nothing," I gulped, shrugging a shoulder. Trying to calm my panicked heart down, I tore down the stairs, Percy hot on my heels. He kept mumbling under his breath, cursing to himself so many times the air was beginning to turn blue.

Our footsteps sounded oddly depressing against the stone steps as we stumbled into the basement. The supports that held the house up were dotted around and all were shuddering and creaking loudly. My teeth sank into my bottom lip as I hurried around the dusty, cardboard boxes. On the opposite side of the room, more stones steps led up to double, wooden doors in line with the ceiling. They were old and feeble, just like the door I had come through. No problem for a demigod.

Percy and I bolted straight toward it, just as the house creaked and cracked above us. A thunderous thud made the house shudder again, the supports beginning to lean to one side. Cursing so many times, I wondered how I had the time, I hurried up the steps and slammed myself into the doors. But I was at an odd angle and couldn't apply enough force.

"Let me try," Percy insisted, and I staggered out of the way to make room from him. He moved toward it as fast as he could, slamming his shoulder into the door with a painful, dull thud. I winced when he stumbled back down, holding his arm with a tight grimace. "It isn't going to open."

"Acacia?" Annabeth suddenly yelled, banging on the door desperately.

"You can't hear us, right?" Percy sighed. No answer. Groaning, I stepped past him and pounded my fist as hard as I could into the wood. I felt a knuckle crack and was pretty sure Hera had thought of this exit too. Eyes watering in pain, I turned to glance back into the house. The supports were tilting too much now. They creaked and groaned their warnings, but there was nothing either of us could do.

I glanced sideways at Percy. "Move," I instructed, taking a few steps back and prizing my locket open. He immediately skidded out of the way, and I armed an arrow and drew it back as fast as I possibly could. Releasing it with a deep breath, the tip sparked dangerously and it thudded right into the lock. It cracked and rumbled, but nothing happened. Without a word, Percy drew Riptide and swung it directly beside the arrow. Again, the wood shuddered, but nothing happened.

Something Annabeth had said suddenly rang in my head.

"Percy," I breathed, eyes wide. "Remember what Annabeth said about sticking together?"

He snorted sourly. "Yeah, that's looking like it was a better idea."

I ignored him. "And Chiron. He said that children of the Big Three are stronger than other demigods, _that's_ why everyone ended up at war, right?"

"Right," Percy said slowly.

"If that thing won't budge with one of us . . ."

Percy's eyes widened. "Think you can aim that accurately?"

I scowled. "That had better be a rhetorical question." He smirked slightly, swinging Riptide around dangerously. Taking a deep breath, I loaded another arrow and drew the string back. "On the count of three?"

The house gave a thunderous shudder. "Well, I'm not sure we can last any longer than that," he grimaced.

"Focus, Percy!" I frowned. "Ready? Three . . . two . . . one!"

I released the arrow, just as Percy swung Riptide as hard as possible at the rusty old lock.

The tip of the arrow cracked with lightning so bright, I was blink dots out of my eyes for ages. I heard Riptide slam into the same spot that I had aimed for, a millisecond after my arrow made contact. Then something happened, something I hadn't expected.

The gods didn't approve. I knew they didn't. Thunder might as well have screamed at us the rate it was going, but it was too late. Lightning met Riptide, and the resulting explosion was far more than anyone could have anticipated. The deafening bang managed to cancel out the thunder in the background, the light blinding my eyes more than any god's disappearance could have. I only had a second to debate this however, because a wave of force radiated from the blast, crashing into my chest and sending me flying into one of the already weak supports.

My spine killed. My head felt like it was ready to break in two and I couldn't see a thing, a black shroud descending over my eyes. But I didn't need to be able to see. The support gave way completely behind me, the first of many. The house gave an almighty crack on the far side and I felt the plaster breaking off, showering down on me. I blinked furiously, forcing my body to move so that I could stand. But everything burned in protest, refusing to let me move. I wasn't going anywhere. Hera had succeed. She was the cause of my death. Death by collapsing house. It sounded horrible and painful, and I found myself praying it was quick. Stupid really, that I chose now to given.

A shrill bark suddenly rang in my left ear and I cringed away from the noise, my head vibrating in anger. Hands clamped down hard on my arms and pulled, just as the house gave another crack and thud.

"Acacia!" Grover exclaimed desperately, shaking me like a rag doll. The pain was too much. My body shut down, everything numbing instantly. "Acacia, you have to move!" He hauled me toward the steps and I heard Sasha bark indignantly and Annabeth whimper loudly.

"Grover, quick! You're not moving fast enough!" she warned, gulping. I could just about make out Percy slumped in her arms.

"Thanks for the confidence Annabeth," Grover groaned, hauling me toward the door. I shuddered. I was going to die, right here, being dragged along by a satyr. How embarrassing.

Then I seemed to register that every single one of my friends was down here and the thought brought back the anger that had been burning so strongly just minutes before. I gritted my teeth, staggering to my feet and taking a handful of Grover's sleeve. He seemed frozen by my sudden movement, but I stumbled toward the steps. He shook himself, hurrying after me and helping me up the stairs.

Just as I felt my knees hit the grass outside, the house gave up its fight. The entire structure just collapsed, right behind us, as my body did the exact same thing. Eyes closed and breathing heavily, I slumped to the ground, muscles sore and tried. I'd barely been there for a second, when Ananbeth was hauling me to my feet.

"Acacia, Hera's coming!" she hissed. I gulped silently, stumbling along beside her as Grover dragged Percy to safety. We hurried toward a group of trees nearby, where Annabeth let me sink to the ground behind one of them. I opened my eyes again, blinking furiously to try and get my sight back. The first thing I saw was Annabeth's arms tighten around me, tears sliding down her cheeks.

"I thought you were dead," she mumbled through her tears.

Percy snorted weakly from somewhere beside me. "Yeah, well Hera does," he muttered.

I frowned, breathing heavily. "What?" I asked, almost scared to believe him. He smirked, nodding around the tree. I leant over carefully and felt my eyebrows raise. Hera was stood beside the pile that had been my house, wearing a smug expression. "She thinks I'm dead?"

"Seems like it," Grover bleated quietly. I let out a relieved laugh, turning and pressing myself back into the tree.

"Hallelujah," I mumbled, trying not to fall asleep. "Maybe she'll leave me alone for a while, huh?"

"We'll stay here for an hour or so," Annabeth muttered. "Hera wouldn't expect us to hang around. Then we should really get on with the quest. We're running out of time."

"Oh, I'm sorry, is saving my life taking too much time?" I asked sarcastically. She rolled her eyes at me, but sent me a relieved smile. I snorted, scowling. "Don't do that next time."

"Do what?" Grover asked.

"Come back," I replied. "Especially you, Percy. Actually in the house, while Hera was trying so hard to kill me?" His eyes widened.

"I had no idea she'd collapse the house on you," he frowned.

"And if you three get killed because of me?" I questioned with a lump in my throat.

"You'd have never gotten out of there without Percy," Annabeth scowled irritably. "You don't have to do everything alone." I didn't have time to argue. Before I could so much as open my mouth, a blinding golden light emitted through the trees from the right, and the four of us winced, automatically turning our heads away with closed eyes.

When I finally managed to open them again, a woman was stood directly opposite me, her eyes never wavering from my face. Long black hair was wrapped into a bun on the back of her head, and her startling grey eyes looked so familiar I found myself frowning. She was tall, beautiful and lean, wearing jeans, combat boots and a white blouse. But it wasn't until Annabeth let out a small whimper that I realised who this was.

"Please, I wish to speak to Miss Grace alone," Athena said in a clear voice, without every looking at any of the others. Annabeth hesitated, her eyes wide as she stared up at her mother.

"Guys, go find somewhere to eat," I muttered, dropping my gaze, unable to look Athena in the eyes any longer. "I'll catch up."

"Acacia-"

"Percy, go," I ordered.

"Acacia will be fine Perseus Jackson," Athena said shortly. "You correctly assumed Hera believes her to be dead and I can assure you I mean her no harm. Now please, leave us. I will not ask again." Percy hauled himself to his feet and, even after Athena had threatened him, hesitated. Frowning slightly, he shook himself and headed out of the forest, Annabeth and Grover close behind him.

Athena paused for a moment, apparently waiting until the others were out of earshot. "I must say, I am impressed," she said with a small smile. "Fooling a god is never an easy task, but you seem to have managed rather well. I will admit, I did not agree with Artemis's decision to give you the tests, but you have accomplished more than I thought you would."

"Erm, thanks," I mumbled. Athena pursed her lips, as though waiting for something. "I don't mean to sound rude, but I did that by accident. And if it hadn't been for Percy-"

"Yes, yes, I know what the boy did," Athena dismissed quickly. "I do not deny he had a hand in this. For that reason, you will still have to prove yourself to me. You have passed Artemis's and Demeter's test, have you not?"

"Yes," I answered, a little uncertainly.

"Poseidon has visited you, has he not?"

"Yes."

"And you have evaded Hera several times, have you not?"

"Yes."

"Then there you go," she smiled. "I think it is fair to say you are far too impulsive to think things through. And though I do not agree with your methods, they appear effective. No one thinks your journey has been easy, young half-blood. But it will get worse. However, you have around two years."

"Two years? I thought I had ten days!" I gawped.

Athena grimaced at me, nodding. "With, erm, certain _complications_-"

"Hera," I scowled.

She sighed. "Quite. But Hera's actions are making things a little difficult to deal with. Every time a god tries to test you, she gets in the way. And I am afraid she will not give up. So yes child, you get two years."

"Wow," I breathed. I wasn't sure whether or not I was relieved or worried.

"Good luck, Acacia Grace," Athena said, as she turned to head back. "I do hope you succeed. Most demigods can be... tiresome." With that, she disappeared in a blinding gold light, leaving me predictably confused.


	20. Chapter Nineteen: Murder Attempt No4

I suppose I lost track of time, and direction for that matter. Wandering aimlessly, I found myself opposite a small clothes store on the outskirts of town, with no idea where Percy, Annabeth, Grover or even Sasha were. Immortal wolf or not, she daren't defy a goddess's wishes. So I was on my own, tired, sore and dirty. Honestly, I was just relieved Hera hadn't killed me.

I hated the thought of steeling anything, but desperate times called for desperate measures. Pursing my lips tightly, I inched around the store, trying to stop myself fidgeting nervously. Peering around the wall, I made sure no one was watching while I bolted for the supply truck. My heart leapt into my throat as I heard men striding back to the van. Reacting purely on instinct, I leapt into the van and slumped behind one of the large crates.

Both guys had booming laughs that made me cringe every time I heard it. I heard the crates closest to the door being dragged toward them and a grunt from each man as he took on the weight and started back of the shop. Without hesitating anymore, I pulled out the knife from my boot and prized open the nearest crate. I snatched out a shirt, a pair of jeans and a hoodie, before closing it gently again and racing for the fresh air.

I was back in the forest before either of the men even left the shop. Maybe no one at the clothes store would even realise three pieces missing. Maybe they would put it down to someone miscounting the order. Either way, I didn't really care. I had just escaped with my life and refused to be caught again. Moving further into the forest, I hurriedly changed my clothes and shoved the old ones behind a bush.

I had no idea where to start looking for the others, but I found myself wandering in the town centre. My hood was pulled around my face, my dark hair shielding what little you could see through the hood. Still, I kept my head down and didn't make eye contact with anyone as I made my way around. I was surprised that I still knew this place so well. I even recognised people, like the old woman who used to babysit Thalia and me when we were really little, or the lad that Thalia beat up once for calling me a freak. He was seventeen now, and I could still see the scar she had given him down his neck. For a while, I didn't think clearly. But then it dawned on me... if I could recognise them, could they recognise me?

My chest instantly tightened and my stomach panicked, twisting and turning uncomfortably. I lowered my head further and sped up, weaving in and out of the crowds. I knew I couldn't hide from Hera for long, but I would like to think it could last a day at least. Then again, if the gods were watching me as closely as they said, wouldn't that include Hera? The thoughts didn't do me any good, but a passerby suddenly walked into my shoulder, pushing me straight at a fountain.

I stumbled into the wall, catching myself before my face made contact with the water. I got a brief glimpse of coins that had been tossed in for good luck, before I hauled myself back up. The statue in the middle shuffled awkwardly as I realised the coins had actually been drachmas.

Wait... the statue _shuffled?_

My head jerked upright, my eyes narrowed as I stared at the stone statue. It seemed to be a warrior, his head tilted up with narrowed eyes and his hands tight around a spear. His stone torso was bear, apart from the straps that held the bow and quiver in place. He had short hair and a beard, reminding me oddly of Poseidon. For a moment, I simply stood and frowned at the statue. It had moved when I neared the water. Did that mean it was protecting the drachma? Sure, everyone regarded it as a symbol of hope, tossing a coin into a fountain. It's why people did it, right? Chuck one in and wish for something good to happen. But I was also coming to the conclusion that I was hiding in a town where people could recognise me, with no money or someone to help out. If I created an Iris message, wouldn't I be able to contact Percy, Annabeth and Grover?

Slowly, I lowered a hand toward the water. The statue shuffled again, the tip of the spear lowering toward me slightly. I straightened out instantly and it returned to its frozen, solid state. None of the mortals seemed to realise that anything was wrong. They hurried past me, all rushing to go somewhere. Some spoke hurriedly into their phones, others chatting to the person next to them. None of them gave me a second glance.

I took a deep breath, a plan forming in my mind. If I moved toward the water, the spear would come at me. I didn't want to been impaled any more than I wanted to jump into the water. So, maybe I could use the spear. Risky, but not impossible.

Before I could change my mind, I clamped one hand around the stone wall and plunged the other into the water. The second I did so, the statue snapped its gaze toward me and pulled his spear back. My hand tightened around a small pile of drachma and I hauled myself back as fast as I could, my hood falling down to my shoulders. The sharp, stone spear was jabbed at me, the statue taking a threatening step to the edge of his stone platform. I just managed to dodge the jab, tightening a hand around the shaft.

"You?!"

Fear flooded my entire body as I turned to meet Hera's gaze. The goddess stood at the side of the fountain, her eyes narrowed and shocked. Mortals still walked past as though nothing was happening, as though they couldn't see the statue or the goddess. Thunder rumbled.

"Hey! I know you!" a passerby suddenly exclaimed, pointing at me. "You're that Grace kid, right?" Damn, I had forgotten about that.

"Oh no," I mumbled, as Hera held out an empty palm. The air seemed to shimmer just above it and in a second, she held another bomb with a peacock feather, just like on the bus all those days go.

"You dare deceive me?" Hera snarled at me. Gods, it was good I was impulsive.

"Hey, I just stole drachma here!" I yelled at the statue. It's eyes narrowed further and it yanked at its spear. Jumping onto the low wall, I held on for dear life and leapt toward the statue's platform. "Sorry!" I ducked beneath the guys arm and threw myself to the other side, the peacock feathered bomb flying straight at the statue. It blew up with a deafening bang, shards of stone flying everywhere. But I had hit the ground running, the wind stirring behind me as I bolted back for the forest.

I didn't stop for ages. When I did, I stumbled to the ground beside a small lake, gasping for breath. My back hit the ground, my eyes closing as a cool breeze swept calmly across my face. The sun had parted the dull clouds, shining softly down on the small clearing I was in. The lake ran straight through the middle, a small water fall at one end. There was a grass bank at either side, each one surrounded by more trees. It seemed strangely welcoming to me.

Groaning, I pushed myself up to my knees beside the lake. I cupped my hands in the cool water, splashing my face and taking a deep breath. Again, I wondered how I would ever find Sasha. There would have to be a way. I mean, she was an immortal wolf blessed by the goddess Artemis. Maybe she would find me.

"Congratulations Acacia Grace," a man's amused voice came. I didn't bolt up. I didn't even straighten out. I just stared into the water's depth, trying to see past my broken reflection. I didn't care which god it was this time, I was already failing. My father had told me to watch over Percy and help him retrieve the bolt. If I didn't find him soon, my own father would have to announce that I was unworthy.

The man took a deep breath and sat down beside me, watching me carefully. For a second, I thought it was Luke. But this guy was older. He wore jogging pants and a loose shirt. He was slim and fit, with a sly smile and salt and pepper hair. He watched me for another few minutes, apparently debating what to say next. I continued to stare at the water, trying to ignore the fact he was even there.

"A hero's journey is never an easy one Acacia," he said wisely.

"And it's not supposed to be this hard either," I contradicted sourly.

He sighed heavily, patting my shoulder pitifully. "Everyone's path is different, Miss Grace," he continued. "Yours is, without a doubt, harder than most. But are you going to let Hera win?" I snorted.

"Before I left Camp, Luke Castellan told me that every hero had a fatal flaw. He told me that everyone would take advantage of that." The man fell silent, flicking his gaze to the water I was still staring at. We stayed like that for a few seconds.

"It won't always be like this Acacia," he said quietly.

"I know," I agreed, finally tearing my eyes from the water and turning to the god. It finally hit me that I was talking to Luke's father, Hermes. They looked so much alike, I ended up cursing myself mentally for not noticing sooner. "But I don't know how much longer I can keep this up."

"The hard part is still to come," Hermes warned. "I am sure Ares's task will be... erm, difficult to say the least. He has very high expectations of heroes, sometimes unreasonable expectations."

"I don't really care anymore," I admitted with a sigh. "I just want it finished. I don't even know why I am doing this!"

Hermes grimaced at me. "A lot of good can come of this," he told me. I snorted again, chuckling to myself. Hermes raised an eyebrow, smiling slightly.

"I once told Luke that I didn't care what I had to do, if it would help even one person. At the time, I had actually meant Annabeth, but I suppose you could include Percy and Grover too."

Hermes hesitated for a second, his smile growing a little. "You could help a lot more than just two heroes and a satyr," he laughed. "Starting with this quest! Don't you have a war to stop?" I scoffed, glancing behind me awkwardly. Hermes sighed. "You managed to steal a handful of drachma from a guarded fountain, whilst escaping Hera for the... fourth time, is it now?"

"Sounds about right," I grumbled.

Hermes smiled, standing up and pointing at the waterfall. "Perhaps you sound find young Perseus," he suggested. "After all, completing this quest could help more than you know. You have made a start proving yourself, young Acacia Grace. I shall be watching you closely." He smiled down at me, then turned around and strode into the forest, whistling to himself. I watched him for a moment, then took a deep breath and turned to the waterfall.

"Well, here goes," I muttered to myself, pushing to my feet and heading for the water. After another breath, I dug out a drachma and held it above my head. "O goddess, accept my offering." I threw the drachma into the waterfall and it disappeared in a golden shimmer. "Percy Jackson."

For a moment, nothing happened. Then the water shimmered again and I was suddenly looking at a small diner. Inside, everyone seemed to be in a trance like state. I frowned, flicking my gaze over everything. Outside the door, there was a large motorbike the size of a baby elephant. The headlight glowed red and its tank had flames painted on it. There were shotgun holsters at either side, complete with actual shotguns. The seat was leather, but it looked like... human skin.

The only booth inside that wasn't in a trance was Percy's. He sat up a straight back frowning at the big huge guy across from him. Annabeth sat beside him, shaking and pale. Grover was cowering into the wall beside the huge guy, probably bleating. Sasha was sat at Percy's feet, just as protectively as she would have been with me. I couldn't help smiling slightly. The guy was... well, huge. Possibly about six foot six, six seven maybe. He was dressed in a red muscle shirt, black jeans and a black leather jacket, with combat boots and a hunting knife strapped to his thigh. His face was brutal, scars from past fights on his cheeks. It was Ares, the god of war.

"Oh no," I muttered to myself, biting my bottom lip hard.

"Hey, I'm a generous guy," Ares was saying, shrugging and leaning back casually in his seat. "Just do my little job, and I'll help you on your way. I'll arrange a ride west for you and your little friends." Percy's eyes narrowed.

"We're doing fine on our own," he retorted.

"Yeah, right," Ares snorted, smirking slightly. "No money, no wheels and no clue what you are up against. And poor little Acacia! Help me out, and maybe I'll tell you something you need to know. Something about your mum." My stomach must have dropped a hundred feet. I could almost ignore the fact he thought I was dead.

I remembered exactly what had happened to Percy's mother. I remembered her and Percy hauling Grover up the hill, running from a Minotaur and straight into me and four hellhounds. I also remembered the slash against my stomach, my hand raising and rubbing my stomach uncomfortably. But... Mrs Jackson was dead, we all knew that. Then again, weren't we headed for the Underworld?

"No way," I gulped quietly. "He wouldn't be that stupid, would he?"

"My mum?" Percy repeated, frowning again.

Ares grinned wickedly. "That got your attention. The water park is a mile west on Delancy. You can't miss it. Look for the Tunnel of Love ride." I swiped out at the message before I could hear anymore. I didn't really want to. I finally knew where I was going. That was all I needed.


	21. Chapter Twenty: Ares

It didn't take me long to find the water park. It was old, run down and abandoned. I supposed it would be the perfect place for Ares to hide. There was no doubt in my mind who his girlfriend was. He had said the Tunnel of Love, which suggested he was here on a date but I couldn't ever imagine Aphrodite in a place like this.

The main gate was padlocked and barbed wire ran across the top. Slides, tubes and pipes curled in every direction, all dry. For a water park, it was seriously lacking water. The sight sent a shiver down my spine as I stared around the place. Pursing my lips, I prized my locket open and took a few steps back. I mumbled a prayer to my father as I took the bow and an arrow and pulled it back, aiming at the padlock.

My aim was flawless. The moment the tip met the lock, it sparked and exploded. There was a bark in the distance. And I would have recognised that bark anywhere. Face set, I kicked the gate and it gave way with a loud creak. Quickly, I slung my bow back over my shoulder and grasped at one of my belts, pulling out a sword and starting into the water park.

On the other side of the gate, things looked even worse. Every muscle in my body tensed to attack and my eyes were narrowed, scanning everything. I walked slowly, making no noise with my footsteps. Each attraction seemed to have a larger shadow than the last, as though the place was trying to engulf me and not let go.

There was another bark and the beautiful grey speckled wolf skidded around a corner, halting under a sign that read '_Thrill Ride of Love_'. Sasha bared her teeth, growling in her throat. I stopped, staring and meeting her gaze. For a moment, she didn't move. Then, as suddenly as she had appeared, she straightened.

_My lady?_ her amazed voice asked.

I smiled. "Who else?" I chuckled. "Didn't think you could get rid of me that easily, did you? Besides, I told you I'd catch up." Sasha barked indignantly, but her tail wagged so hard it looked like it was going to fall off. She bounded toward me and jumped up like a little puppy, her front paws on my stomach. "Okay! Calm down. I was only gone for an hour or so!" She barked, backing down slightly. I laughed, bending down and ruffling her fur around her neck. Before I could move again, she licked my face and then rubbed the side of her head against my shoulder.

_I began to wonder if Lady Hera had caught up with you. It is good to see you alive and well, my lady,_ she managed, when she had finally calmed down.

"Well, I was going for the whole let-her-think-I'm-dead-but-I'm-not-really thing, but it didn't last long. She kinda saw me."

_That does not matter at the moment, my lady,_ Sasha dismissed, sniffing the air behind her. _Right now, Perseus Jackson and Miss Annabeth are heading for Lord Ares's shield._

"What exactly are they doing?" I asked curiously, straightening out and heading for the ride. Sasha whined slightly in her throat.

_They are retrieving Lord Ares's shield, my lady,_ she said. _It is in a small boat at the bottom of an empty pool. The satyr did not look happy with going down, so Perseus told him to wait. Miss Annabeth refused to let him go alone. So she accompanied him._

Before I could stop myself, I choked. "Percy and Annabeth?" I blinked. "On the Thrill Ride of Love? _Together?_" Sasha's throat rumbled disapprovingly but I chuckled to myself, my hand tightening around my sword. "Moving on. What are the chances that this isn't a set up?"

_Minimal, my lady,_ Sasha replied.

"And why was Ares here in the first place?"

_A date with Lady Aphrodite, my lady._

"Brilliant." Suddenly, I stopped in my tracks. "Hang on a moment. Isn't Hephaestus always trying to catch them together?" Sasha halted just in front of me. Instead of replying, she whined worriedly. "I don't like this."

_Neither do I, my lady,_ Sasha muttered worriedly. We both sped up, but I only made it to the entrance before the ground rumbled loudly. I spun around and my jaw dropped in horror.

A whisper of a figure was rising from the ground, as though being summoned from the dead. My immediate thought was Hades, and my stomach twisted painfully. The figure found its feet and suddenly it looked more solid. The guy looked tall and muscular, only a little smaller than Ares had appeared. His torso was bear, hundreds of scars trailing around his body. He wore what, to me, looked like a skirt made from metal plates, while he had flimsy looking sandals on his feet. In his hands he held a sword twice the size of mine and his eyes were narrowed. And locked on me.

"Sasha, go to Grover," I ordered.

_I left you once my lady and you nearly died, _Sasha said, almost coldly. _I do not want to make the same mistake again._

"Sasha, you can't help me. Now go!" I snapped harshly, as the guy started toward me. He looked sort of like a Roman warrior and I knew he was actually dead. So, how do you kill a dead guy? Sasha barked indignantly and snarled at the warrior, but he didn't pay any attention to her. He only had eyes for me. She leapt at the warrior and jumped straight through him. Skidding on the other side, she stood in shock.

But she had managed to irritate him. He roared in outrage and lunged toward me. Luckily, I defended on instinct, whether I thought my sword was going to go straight through him or not. But the moment our swords met, there was the deafening sound of metal clashing together and my arms shook under the weight. The warrior roared again and pushed. I staggered back and leapt to the side, his sword skimming the skin on my arm.

"GUYS!" Grover yelled in the distance, just as the sound of gears grinding met my ears.

"SASHA! GO TO GROVER!" I shouted. She barked and leapt toward the Thrill Ride of Love, disappearing from view. As I stumbled to the side, I grasped my other belt and pulled out my second sword.

I dodged him again, my mind working overdrive. First things first, use the methods I knew worked already. The air around us dropped in temperature, well below freezing. But of course, he was dead already. The cold wasn't going to affect him. Still, it made me feel better, stronger. Next step. When the warrior came at me again, I let my sword met his and lightning crashed down on us. True, he staggered backward slightly, but he was still unharmed. All the lightning did was use up my energy.

"Great," I snarled under my breath, shuffling back a few steps with my eyes on the warrior. He didn't hurry to come after me, rather strode toward me purposefully and threateningly. It didn't do my confidence any good at all.

Somewhere in the distance, Annabeth screamed.

I didn't think about what I was doing when I did it. I spun and raced toward the Thrill Ride of Love, the warrior dragging his feet after me like a zombie. In front of me was a pool empty of water. Around the rim, there were maybe a hundred statues of Cupid. But their heads had popped open and video cameras replaced them. Spotlights surrounded the pool and lit the scene up like a Christmas tree. Over the speaker, a voice boomed; "Live to Olympus in one minute..."

"Oh, this just gets bloody better!" I groaned, blocking another attack aimed at my head and managing to side step before the warrior's free fist slammed into my face. He roared again and staggered toward me as I backed up.

"Acacia?" Grover's disbelieving voice came. "Gods, when you didn't show, we thought you were dead!"

"Not yet!" I shouted back, blocking with one sword and aimlessly plunging the other toward the warrior's chest. Much to my surprise, I felt it sink into his stomach and he cried out in pain. I was so surprised, I didn't move in time for him to back hand me with such force, I skidded back across the rim of the pool.

_My lady!_ Sasha's voice exclaimed.

Groaning, I rolled on to my back and took a shaky breath. "Today is not my day," I complained, pushing myself to my feet and shaking my head to try and stop the dizziness.

The voice was still booming over the speaker; "Fifteen, fourteen..."

I had figured out I could hurt this guy, but no one else could. Had it been designed this way? Did that mean it was a test? From the corner of my eye, I could see Percy and Annabeth in the small boat, Percy clutching Ares's shield. They were trapped in Hephaestus's trap, obviously, and had no way to get out. For a second, I honestly believed that. The next, I was cursing myself so much, I nearly forgot to move as the warrior lunged his sword at me. As I jumped to the side, my eyes fell on the water pipes around the sides of the pool. I prayed to Poseidon as I bolted around the warrior, skidding to a halt and tightening my hands around my swords.

"PERCY!" I yelled.

"ACACIA?" was his reply.

"OH FOR THE LOVE OF THE GODS! YES! I'M ALIVE! IT'S A MIRACLE! GET OVER IT!"

The warrior roared and spun around, his feet slamming into the floor hard enough to make it rumble beneath me. I was just making him angry now and there would come a point I made him so mad, there would be no escaping him. It had to be now.

"WOULD YOU GET TO THE POINT?" Percy shouted back.

"WATER, EINSTIEN!" I screamed, blocking another attack. The warrior's sword was caught between both of mine and I hurried forward, moving the swords and plunging them into the wound I had made earlier. He roared in agony and black, thick liquid seemed to pour like blood down his front. I shifted out of his way, taking a deep breath.

The voice was still counting down; "Five, four..."

"NOW PERCY!" I pleaded.

"Two, one, zero!"

Water exploded out of the pipes, rushing into the pool. The boat was pushed up the side, but it didn't capsize. I raised a sword and slashed at the small wires stopping Grover and I getting to them and they snapped easily, just as the warrior let out a battle cry in a different language I didn't recognise and staggered toward me. I hesitated, then threw myself out of the way.

With a yelp of surprise, the dead warrior tumbled through the wires and into the water. For a moment, he panicked as though he couldn't swim, but his lifeless body simply floated on the surface. Percy's water couldn't harm him, but I could.

"Please Father," I muttered under my breath as I staggered up. "Please let this work." The warrior was trying to float toward me when I stepped back and dropped my swords.

_My lady?_ Sasha's voice came in worried surprise.

"Acacia, what on earth are you doing?" Grover gawped.

"Go get Percy and Annabeth," I ordered. "You fly, right?" Grover seemed to think my words through, as I pulled my bow over my head again and took out an arrow. The warrior was almost at the rim, looking mildly pleased with himself. I pulled back the arrow, aiming just over his shoulder. The tip sparked dangerously.

"_Maia!_" Grover said, the wings on his feet fluttering to life. He rose unsteadily and shot off toward Percy and Annabeth. I narrowed my eyes at the warrior and released the arrow.

It hit the water's surface and there was a loud crack. I didn't know if lightning would work the same as electricity, or if it should, but my prayers to Zeus and Poseidon might actually have paid off. The warrior roared for the last time, his body being encased by a harsh, painful jolt of lightning. The surface of the water cracked, the lightning travelling down the tunnel at the end, where Percy and Annabeth had disappeared from view. I hoped and prayed Grover got to them before the lightning did. My stomach twisted painfully at the thought of what might happened if he didn't.

The warrior had vanished. The lightning had disappeared down the tunnel. Sasha moved and slumped down to the ground at my feet, whining in her throat and placing her paws over her eyes. I breathed heavily, staring after the lightning in fright. Please, please, let them be okay. I prayed to my father to stop the lightning, prayed to my uncle to control the water. But in the end, neither could do anything to save their lives. They may have given us what we needed to succeed, but it had been Percy that had summoned the water and me that had summoned the lightning. If our fathers stopped this from happening, they were interfering, and the last time I checked, that was against their rules.

"Well, I suppose that was one way to deal with it," a gruff voice came. Like when Hermes visited me, I didn't turn. Some of the cameras shooting for Olympus were directed at me, but I didn't care. I had the strangest feeling they couldn't see the god.

He wore a jumpsuit, smeared in oil. _Hephaestus_ was stitched over his top pocket. His leg clicked in a metal brace as he walked to stand beside me, his left shoulder was lower than his right and his head was misshapen. His black beard smoked and hissed, occasionally erupting in a wild fire then dying out. He scowled down at his invention.

"Thank you, Lord Hephaestus," I muttered. He snorted.

"A hero with manners," he grumbled. "Now there is a rarity."

I couldn't help but scoff. "I've been called a lot of things before," I muttered. "Rarity... I suppose that's nicer than usual."

Hephaestus considered me for a moment. "You aren't like most heroes," he said.

"Good job really, isn't it?" I asked, smiling slightly. "I think a normal hero would have gone insane. Honestly, I don't think it will take much more before I lose it."

"You think?"

"Maybe," I shrugged. "But if it helps, I guess it's worth it, right?"

He snorted again. "You are a very selfless hero, Acacia Grace. You pass the test. Don't let my lovely mother have an excuse to push me back off Olympus." At that, I turned, eyes wide. Hephaestus met my gaze, a single eyebrow raised.

"But I thought – I mean, Zeus-" Hephaestus snorted.

"She likes to tell people that, does my mother," he said, his voice gruffer than normal. "Makes her seem more likeable."

I let out a short, surprised laugh. "She could give a million dollars to Green Peace," I muttered quietly.

Hephaestus chuckled darkly. "You know, it might not be the worst thing to happen if you proved yourself," he admitted reluctantly, turning around and hobbling off.

_Charming,_ Sasha said sarcastically.

"Sasha, do you know another way to get to where Percy, Annabeth and Grover ended up?" I asked her quietly, staring after Hephaestus. She immediately jumped to her feet and spun around.

_I can try, my lady,_ she answered determinedly. _Follow me_. I pulled my bow over my head and it turned back into my locket. As I spun around, I scooped my swords up and shoved them back into their sheaths, allowing them to turn back into belts. Sasha broke into a run and, taking a deep breath, I raced after her.

She found Percy, Annabeth and Grover quickly. All three were lay on the floor, groaning and banged up, but alive. I skidded to a halt behind them, breathing heavily and muttering a thank you to Zeus and Poseidon under my breath. The sky rumbled a reply and, to me at least, it didn't sound disapproving, so I supposed I had done alright.

"When you've quite finished sleeping," I sighed heavily, smiling slightly. Percy raised his head, scowled at me, then groaned and slumped back to the floor. "Wimp." Annabeth pushed herself to her feet and staggered toward me, her eyes wet and red. "Oh no." Before I could complain anymore, she threw her arms around my neck and squeezed me tightly.

"Thank the gods that you're alive!" she sniffed, her voice shaking. I pulled a face at Percy and Grover, but hugged Annabeth back, just as tightly.

"Didn't think you could get rid of me that easily, did you?" I said, repeating what I had said to Sasha. I wasn't good in situations like this. Percy groaned loudly, snatching up Ares's shield and pushing himself to his feet. He turned slowly and glowered up at the water ride, where cameras and spotlights were still pointed at us.

"We should go," Annabeth muttered quietly, glancing desperately at Grover. He nodded at her and clamped a hand around Percy's wrist, dragging him off to the side. I took a deep breath, eyes hovering on the cameras.

"Come on Sasha," I breathed. The wolf barked and trotted to my side, licking my hand that hung by my side. I smiled slightly, then turned and followed Percy, Annabeth and Grover. I had found them, we were all alive. But for how much longer?


	22. Chapter TwentyOne: Dreams Again

Ares was waiting at the diner I had seen in the Iris message. His eyes were covered by red wraparound glasses, but his smirk grew as he turned to me. Sasha growled at my feet, stood between Percy and I. I hadn't asked her why she had suddenly taken such a liking to him, but I was grateful. I loved knowing that Sasha was there for me, yet it was even better knowing she was there for the others too.

"So!" Ares smirked. "Acacia Grace survives again!"

"I'll admit, you probably did a better job than Hera," I shrugged, my voice sour.

Ares laughed loudly at me. "That was some good fighting, kid. You ain't that bad after all."

"Gee, thanks," I replied sarcastically.

His smirk wavered slightly. "Hey, I ain't got time for sarcasm, kid," he warned, still smiling. "But I suppose you pass. Not many half-blood's could kill a guy who is already dead. Good girl." I remained silent this time, trying to hide the scowl. He spoke to me like I was a puppy being praised for good behaviour.

"You tricked us," Percy scowled.

Ares smirked. "You look good on TV," he shrugged. "Acacia, not so much. Talking to yourself. We're betting on how long it takes for my lovely mother to drive you insane."

My eyes narrowed before I could stop myself and a misplaced anger burned in my stomach. I knew instantly that it was Ares, that his presence was making me feel like this. I pursed my lips tightly and didn't answer him. He snorted, then pointed across the car park at a van that read, 'KINDESS INTERNATIONAL: HUMANE ZOO TRANSPORT'.

"There's your ride. Thought it might be the best place for your little runt." Ares flicked his gaze at Sasha, who straightened and snarled at him. Ares's presence was even affecting her judgement. He scowled. "If you want the thing alive, I'd call it off." Sasha barked angrily, but I snapped my fingers behind her impatiently, not risking letting my mouth open. I'd only end up saying something I would regret and one god on my back was bad enough.

"You're kidding," Percy scoffed, staring at the large truck in disgust. Ares smirked slightly, clicking his fingers and unlatching the door. In his other hand, he held a bag out at Percy.

"It's a free ride west punk," Ares smirked. "And there's clothes and everything you need in here. Don't knock it." Annabeth nudged Percy harshly, as Grover took the bag. Percy and I still didn't move.

"Thank you, Lord Ares," Grover stammered. Annabeth rolled her eyes and snatched Ares's shield from Percy and handed it to the god, keeping her mouth shut.

"Oh and punk," Ares started, climbing onto his motorbike. The engine roared to life. "Your mum. She ain't dead." Percy paled and I glowered at Ares.

"Wh-" The sound of Ares's speeding away cut Percy's question short, leaving us stood there confused and angry. Annabeth and Grover exchanged a glance, then turned to me.

I shrugged slowly, taking a deep breath. "I guess we should go," I muttered reluctantly. "I really don't like this town." The words were out before I could stop them, but they left my chest tight and my stomach hollow. My mother's house was in pieces and everything I had ever had to remember my siblings by destroyed. Threading my fingers around the chain on my locket awkwardly, I led the way to the van silently. The four of us clambered on board, Percy somewhat reluctantly.

Inside the truck, there was a male lion, a zebra and an antelope. The conditions they were kept in were less than humane, to say the least. Grover didn't stop complaining about it for an hour, but went to talk to the antelope and finally left the three of us to get some sleep. I curled myself into the corner, running the chain through my fingers. There was still a red mark on my chest, where the locket had burned into my skin while I slept. I had no idea what it meant and just thinking about the dream itself sent shudders down my spine. Shaking myself and scanning the truck for something to catch my attention. But the lion was asleep, the antelope was talking to Grover and the zebra was staring oddly at Percy, who's eyes were wide.

"What now?" I groaned.

_He can hear the animal, my lady,_ Sasha answered, shuffling closer to me in disgust. I guessed she wasn't used to being kept in these conditions. _His father, Poseidon, created horses. Since zebras are closely related..._

"I get it," I muttered, yawning loudly and tilting my head back.

"Acacia?"

"What's up, Annabeth?" I asked quietly, shuffling to try and make myself more comfortable.

She hesitated and shuffled a little closer, gulping. "I... erm... I wanted to say thanks, again," she mumbled.

I frowned, tilting my head forward again and meeting her gaze. "For what exactly?" I asked her slowly.

"Asking me to come on this quest," she answered. "I was waiting for ages for something to do, somewhere to go. And even after what happened, you still asked me."

"What do you mean, what happened?" I questioned rather harshly. "Nothing happened!"

Annabeth gulped and lowered her gaze. "Thalia," she replied, so quietly I had to strain to hear her.

My jaw dropped slightly, but I took a deep breath and closed it again. "It wasn't your fault," I told her, tilting my head back and closing my eyes. "Don't even think of trying to argue with me Annabeth. Thalia sacrificed herself for people she cared about. I would have done the same."

"That's just it. When we thought you were dead..." I flinched. I didn't know what to say to her. It's alright? Hera won't win? I'll be fine? All of those sounded so false, I couldn't even bring myself to open my mouth. Annabeth sighed heavily and shuffled away, laying down and taking a deep breath.

It took me awhile to be able to fall asleep, with Grover bleating in his sleep every now and then, Annabeth shuffling anxiously, and Percy still in deep conversation with a zebra. When I finally did, it was not the peaceful rest I had been hoping for.

For one, the dream version of me was about sixteen years old. She was stood in a deserted alleyway, and in the background, I thought I could make out the Empire State Building. Considering it was midday in New York, I couldn't hear the sound of the usual rush of traffic and pedestrians, and dream-me was stood completely alone.

I wasn't sure whether it was this that made her look so distressed, but I could tell she was terrified. The sixteen year old me was taller by a few inches short of a foot. She wore torn, dirty skinny jeans, ripped combat boots and a checked shirt beneath a chest plate of Greek armour. Apollo's locket still hung around her neck, but she also wore a beaded necklace. I'd seen them before; all the campers at Camp had one. But this one only had two beads, despite the fact she must have been at camp for at least three or four summers by now. One depicted a lightning bolt, while the other showed something I couldn't make out. Beside the two of them, a white gold ring glittered in a non-existent light, with a golden jewel held in place by an intricate web of expertly weaved white gold.

My first thought when I saw that was that it was an engagement ring, which was ridiculous. Where would I have ever got an engagement ring at sixteen years old? My second thought was complete confusion. As far as I could see, nothing about this picture made sense.

Then it got stranger. A figure stumbled to a halt at the end of the alley, and dream-me tensed, pulling a dagger out of nowhere so fast I barely had time to blink. But the figure held its hands up in surrender as it moved closer. "Wow, sneaking up on _Lady Acacia,_" a sarcastic girl's voice came, and I swore I recognised it. "Should that even be possible?"

"I'm really not in the mood for this," dream-me warned with a scowl as the figure kept walking toward her, shielding by the shadows cast by the buildings.

"Are you ever?" the girl snorted back. "But you've really got to snap out of this. And fast. We don't have time for your personal crisis again, Acacia."

"Oh, I apologise for being a burden," dream-me snapped irritably, and I felt my eyes widen. It took a lot for me to snap like that. Just what kind of trouble was I supposed to be in here?

The figure came to a halt before she got close enough for me to see, leaning against the wall opposite dream-me. Drumming her fingertips against the wall remarkably loudly, she took a deep breath before she spoke again. "You're not going to listen to them, are you?"

The sixteen year old me tensed, her eyebrows pulling together deeply. "I've got no choice," she said quietly. The figure shuffled. "If I do as the Olympians told me to, this won't end well. If I go against them . . ."

"They wouldn't . . . kill you, would they?" the girl asked, her voice breaking slightly.

Dream-me straightened out with a deep breath. "Probably. Better get it over with then, ey?" Without another word, she turned and strode away from the figure with a troubled expression. The figure, however, had other ideas. She leapt forward out of the shadows and caught dream-me's wrist, pulling her to a stop and turning her around.

Her lips were moving, but I couldn't hear a word. My eyes were fixed to the girl's face, and my heart was pounding so hard, I could barely breath. The moment I had heard her voice, I was sure I knew who she was, but never in a million years . . .

"OH, FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT'S HOLY! ACACIA!"

Something suddenly slapped my cheek. Hard.

I stirred, frowning and groaning. Percy, Annabeth and Grover were knelt around me, all staring at me in worry. Gulping hard, I rubbed at my eyes and pushed myself away from the corner. Instinctively, my hand went to the chain around my neck, but before I could even touch it, Annabeth gasped, pulling my hands away and staring at the large burn in the centre of my chest with wide, glistening eyes.

"What in the name of Zeus?" she muttered, eyes wide and shocked.

I slapped her hands away, scowling. "Don't ask, I don't know," I said, realising my voice was hoarse and shaky.

Percy raised his eyebrows, glancing across at Grover. "Are you okay?" he asked me slowly.

"Fine," I snapped back. "You?" Percy's face straightened and by the look on his face, he knew I'd noticed I wasn't the only one with disturbing dreams. Setting his jaw, he nodded stiffly. "Fine or not, the truck's stopped," Annabeth said, shaking her head in exasperation and standing up. "We'll need to move before they close the doors."

"Really? Because I was going to try running through them," Percy mumbled sarcastically, still eyeing my expression cautiously. Annabeth glowered at him.

I didn't get it. How was it possible for _her _to be there when I was sixteen? It wasn't possible for her to be here now, let alone in four years! And why did I always wake up with the locket burning through my skin? Were the dreams somehow connected to it? And it they were, _how _were they connected? Did this have anything to do with Apollo? After all, he had been paying me far too much attention, and Chiron had already taken the time to warn me to keep away from him.

It crossed my mind that it wasn't possible to follow Chiron's advice, even if I wanted to. Apollo hadn't tested me yet, which meant no matter how dangerous he may be, I still needed to pass the test. Which raised another question; were these dreams part of my test? Was he just trying to unsettle me?

"Acacia, are you even listening to me?" Annabeth scowled down at me.

"No," I answered truthfully. "Can we just go? I can't sit still anymore." Annabeth groaned, but held a hand out to me and helped me to my feet. As we waited for the right moment to get off the truck, I wondered vaguely how long I could last without sleep.


	23. Chapter TwentyTwo: Lost In Time

"Do any of you know where we are going?" Percy moaned loudly.

I snorted, shrugging and shoving my hands in my pockets. "Don't ask me, I haven't a clue." Sasha whined at my feet, nudging me slightly and staring up at me with wide eyes. "Don't tell me there's another problem?"

_You seem distracted my lady. I have never seen you like this before. It worries me._

"There's no need, honest," I assured her. "I'm perfectly fine." Percy scoffed beside me and I shot him a look so evil, he stumbled.

_Your dreams are disturbing you,_ Sasha said, as though she was reading my mind. _I understand. Many demigods have odd dreams. You should not feel too bad about them._

I didn't answer her. I wasn't sure I could. My dreams weren't normal, even by a demigod's standards. The locket was hung around my neck like a weight trying to break my neck, still hot to touch and uncomfortable to think about. I had never been one for puzzles. They irritated and confused me. But this was one that wouldn't go away until I figured it out.

"You led us down a dead end!" Annabeth moaned.

"Well, at least I led us somewhere," Percy frowned. Annabeth's jaw set and I pushed my way between them, sending them both a warning look. Sasha barked indignantly, sniffing at the ground. I stared at the end of the alley, where a sign read '_The Lotus Hotel and Casino_'. The door was decorated like a neon flower, but something in my stomach twisted awkwardly.

_I think we should turn around my lady,_ Sasha growled.

"Right behind you," I muttered, aware goosebumps were raising on my arms.

"Come on," Annabeth said, hurrying toward the door.

"Annabeth, wait!" I hissed, but she was already halfway there.

"Would you relax?" Percy breathed, shaking his head and following Annabeth.

Sasha straightened out, nudging my hand. _I will protect you and your friends my lady,_ she promised, leading the way toward Percy, Annabeth and Grover.

"Oh, I don't like this," I moaned, hesitating. I dropped to the ground and pulled my knife out of my boot, slipping it up my sleeve. Making sure both belts were there and my locket was still around my neck, I hurried to catch the others up.

"Hey," the doorman smiled. Percy, Annabeth and Grover smiled back, but I glanced over my shoulder nervously. "You look tired. Would you like something to eat and somewhere to sleep?"

"Erm, I just slept," I muttered.

"Yes," the others answered quickly. I rolled my eyes as the doorman pushed the door open and let us in. I followed Percy into the lobby and almost ran into him when he came to a sudden halt.

"Whoa," he mumbled. I peered around him and felt my jaw drop.

The whole place was like a giant game room. One wall was actually a rock climbing wall, there was a bungee jump, an indoor waterslide snaking around a glass elevator that saw right in the middle of the room, going up around forty, maybe fifty floors. Hundreds of widescreen TV's were sat in one corner, each with a different game. There was a bar and vending machines, as well as waitresses and waiters that hurried around the place serving people's food.

"Hey kids!" a bellhop smiled. "Welcome to the Lotus Hotel and Casino. Here are you cash cards. The guys get room 4001, girls in 4002. They join together. Enjoy your stay!" He shoved a green plastic card at each of us and handed Percy and me a key each for our rooms. Before we could even ask his name, he turned and walked away briskly.

"Does anyone else think this is too good to be true?" I asked slowly.

"Oh, stop being so pessimistic," Annabeth sighed.

"Yes, because pessimism has always been so off target for us," I mumbled with a roll of my eyes.

"Look, we can relax here," Percy argued. "Eat. Sleep. Just give us a day, then we're out of here." I blinked at Percy, unsure. Something didn't feel right. "I promise, Acacia. Calm down. Everything's fine."

"Everything is not fine. Everything is never fine," I muttered as they turned and hurried toward the elevator.

_I agree my lady,_ Sasha said exasperatedly. _But we can't allow your friends to stay here without you. Perseus must retrieve the bolt._

"I know," I sighed, letting her lead the way and squeezing into the elevator beside them. It took us to the top floor, where the first rooms we saw were marked 4001 and 4002. The others breathed a sigh of relief, but I pursed my lips tightly as I followed Annabeth and Sasha into our room.

There were two king size beds, with comfy looking duvets and pillows. One door led to Percy and Grover's room, while another led to the bathroom. There was a balcony that had its own swimming pool and there was even a large suede cushion on the floor for Sasha. She sniffed at it cautiously, glancing back at me.

"I don't think that's such a good idea," I frowned.

_I was thinking the same myself,_ the wolf agreed.

"Oh, would the pair of you quit it?" Annabeth groaned. "Just take a deep breath, eat, shower, sleep and then we will leave. Okay?" I rolled my eyes, but nodded at her. The sooner I was out of here, the better.

I'll admit, I definitely appreciated the shower. I was clean, dressed in fresh clothes and was surprised to find an iPod not unlike the one I lost awhile back. It was load with all my favourite songs, which made me even more nervous. How in the world...?

"Percy and Grover are downstairs," Annabeth called to me from the hallway. "You coming?" I whistled for Sasha.

"Yeah, hang on a minute!" I pulled on a shirt and scooped my damp hair up into a bobble, before turning and hurrying to Annabeth. She beamed at me cheerfully and I managed to smile back. She led the way back to the elevator and pressed the button for the ground floor.

Percy and Grover were already messing about by the time we got down there. Predictably, Percy was on the waterslide. Grover was playing on one of those virtual reality things, shooting humans that were supposed to be hunting the dear. He had a vicious look on his face that worried me slightly, but I shook myself and took a deep breath.

"Race you to the top?" Annabeth smirked, pointing across at the rock climbing wall.

"I really think we sh-" But Annabeth was already running for the wall. I groaned, rolling my eyes again.

_Perhaps you should stay with her my lady,_ Sasha suggested. _I know you do not like water. I shall watch Perseus and the satyr for you._

"Thanks Sasha, I owe you," I smiled wryly. Sasha whined and licking my hand, before sitting down at the bottom of the waterslide. Without hesitating any longer, I turned and bolted for Annabeth. And ran straight into something rather solid.

"Hey kid, watch where you're going!" the guy frowned. I was about to apologise. Then I saw what he was wearing. the guy was around fourteen, had loads of spots, a greasy perm and clothes that looked like they belonged to the 70s.

"What in the name of the gods are you wearing?" was all I could think to say.

"Could ask you the same thing, crazy chick," the guy snorted.

My eyes narrowed. "What did you just call me?" I asked, my voice dangerously level.

The guy just snorted again. "Need me to spell it out? C-R-A-Z-Y_C-H-I-C-K," he said slowly.

"Alright, look here, you irritating, greasy little worm," I scowled. "I want to know what's going on. You think you live in the seventies or something?"

"Look, maybe you should stop taking whatever is in you're on, love," the guy said, holding his hands up and edging around me like I was contagious. "It _is_ the seventies."

"What do you mean, it is the seventies? It's 2012!" I frowned. The guy's face fell a little and he stumbled on his way to avoid me. I stared after him for a moment, ignoring the odd looks I was getting from people around me. "What in the name of...? Right. That's it. SASHA!" The wolf barked and skidded to a halt beside me.

_Yes my lady? Is something wrong?_

"Yeah," I frowned, nodding. "We have to get out of here. Now."

_As you wish my lady. Shall I get the satyr, Perseus or Annabeth?_

"Start with Percy," I answered. "Going near water will just weaken me and I am not taking any risks here. Not when there are spotty, greasy little guys are telling me it's the seventies."

_My lady, this is the Lotus Hotel!_ Sasha whined in her throat.

"Erm, yeah," I said slowly. "Didn't you read the sign?"

Sasha's voice chuckled in my head. _I cannot read, my lady. After all, I am still just a wolf._

"Huh," I snorted. "I suppose so."

Sasha barked. _The Lotus Hotel makes you lose track of time. Those who have been here for years, like that young man you just met, will think they have only been here a few weeks._

"So, what about us?" I asked carefully. "I mean, it feels like we've been here for an hour, maybe less. How long have we actually been here?"

_It is hard to judge. We will not know until we get out._

"Right. Take Percy. I'll go get Annabeth and Grover."

_If he won't co-operate?_

"Drag him, bite him, do whatever. I don't really care. But the longer we stay here, the harder it is going to be to make them realise and I am not leaving this place without all of them." Sasha whined again, licking my fingers before spinning around and bolting for the waterslide. I turned and raced for the rock climbing wall again.

"ANNABETH!" I yelled. She didn't turn. "Oh, for the love of the gods!" I almost flew up the wall after her. It took me all of a second to catch up to her.

"Hey Acacia!" Annabeth beamed, out of breath. "How did you get up here so fast?"

"Keyword in that sentence," I started. "Up. I'm Zeus's daughter. It's kinda my thing." Annabeth just shrugged slightly and pulled herself up. I had to slow to match her pace, rolling my eyes impatiently. "We need to leave."

"We need to finish the race first," Annabeth smirked. "First to the top, remember?"

"Annabeth, we haven't got time!" I complained. She completely ignored me. "Fine. You asked for it. You promise that when we finish the race, we'll leave?"

"Yeap!" Annabeth beamed.

"Okay then," I shrugged. I bolted for the top, leaving Annabeth struggling to keep up behind me. My hand latched around each of the grips quicker than the last, hauling myself up so fast, I hit the buzzer at the top before Annabeth had even moved up her own height. Moving back down was slightly slower, but I was still faster than Annabeth. I was back at her side in no time, smiling without even being out of breath.

"There," I said. "Finished. Now we leave." Annabeth blinked, then nodded slowly. I waited for her to start the descent, then followed. There was no way I was going to take any precautions here. We finally dropped to the floor, just as Sasha dragged Percy toward us, her mouth full of his shirt.

"Hey! Would you call her off?" Percy scowled.

"We're getting out of here," I said shortly, ignoring Sasha, who refused to let go. "We need Grover."

"What is your problem?" Percy snapped. "You've been acting weird all day!"

"This place is weird Percy!" I spat back. "It's messing with your head! Look around! Do any of these people look like they're from 2012?" Percy turned and stared around him. He blinked a few times.

"Well... people can be strange," he shrugged, but his face didn't match his attitude.

I sighed. "Look, let's just get Grover and get out of here. I want to know what day it is again." I grabbed Annabeth's wrist and whistled for Sasha again. She growled and pulled at Percy's shirt until he followed.

"Okay! Acacia, I get the point!" he moaned. I smirked slightly, shaking it off my face when Annabeth raised her eyebrows.

"What?" I muttered. "He's an easy target."

"He's a friend," she scowled.

"A friend you argue with so much, I'm surprised he still has a head." She rolled her eyes, but had to purse her lips tightly to stop herself smiling. "GROVER!" Annabeth flinched beside me, giving me a disapproving look before glancing back at Sasha and Percy.

"I'll get him, if you call her off," he scowled.

"Sasha, you can let go now," I finally sighed, chuckling. She let go and barked at Percy happily, wagging her tail furiously. He frowned down at her, then glowered at me before he grabbed hold of Grover.

_Do you need me to bring the satyr my lady?_ Sasha asked innocently. I laughed out loud, receiving odd looks from Annabeth and Percy.

"Erm, I think we got it this time," I replied, smiling at her. She flicked her tail once and barked happily again. Still smiling, I grabbed hold of Grover's other arm as he struggled against Percy, moaning loudly about how he almost had the high score. As we got close to the door, the bellhop suddenly returned.

"Leaving so soon?" he asked, as though we had personally offended him. Percy faltered in his steps and Grover kept struggling.

My face straightened. "Yes," I said bluntly.

"And you have only just got here," he added sadly. "We were going to upgrade you too." He held out four silver LotusCash cards. Percy moved.

"Sasha," I muttered. She snapped her jaw, then latched herself onto Percy's shirt again and pulled. "Goodbye!" I called over my shoulder, as I shoved Grover and Percy forward and grabbed Annabeth, who was inching closer to the silver LotusCash cards.

We stumbled out into the street again. Percy, Grover and Annabeth came to a sudden halt, shaking themselves. They looked slightly dazed, yet their eyes were slowly becoming more... with it.

"That was... weird," Annabeth said slowly.

"Erm," Percy frowned, staring down at Sasha, who was still latched to his shirt.

"Sasha, release," I sighed. Sasha let go, whining innocently. She gave Percy an odd look, then trotted to my feet and sat down. "We need to find out what day it is. Now."

"Easy," Percy dismissed, shrugging. He ran down the alley, the rest of us hot on his heels. He skidded around the corner and toward the nearest news stand. We peered over his shoulder, at the date on the newspaper he picked up.

"Oh no," I muttered.

"June 20th," Annabeth whimpered.

"We only have a day left," Percy said grimly.


	24. Chapter TwentyThree: Family Arguments

"Right," I started, straightening out and setting my jaw. "That's it." Percy, Annabeth and Grover exchanged a look and Sasha stared up at me. "I'm losing patience. Fast."

"Acacia, there's nothing we can do but keep moving," Annabeth said carefully.

"How long will it take us to get to Los Angeles?" Percy asked her, as I turned and headed for the side of the road.

"Longer than a day," she groaned, shaking her head. "We're doomed. We failed."

"Hey!" I shouted, whistling. The three turned and jumped as the cab pulled over at the side of the road and I opened the back door. "Are you guys getting in or what?"

"Acacia, there's no way," Grover started, almost pitifully.

"Would you just get in the car?" I asked impatiently. Annabeth and Grover exchanged another glance, but Percy nodded at me and clambered into the back. With a sigh, Annabeth and Grover followed him. I slammed it shut and opened the front, squeezing in and shifting my feet to let Sasha slip into the foot-well.

"Hey, no dogs," the driver frowned.

"She's a wolf," I corrected simply. The guy's eyes widened and his face paled slightly, but I pulled out my LotusCash card and held it out for him. "Los Angeles. Quickly."

He snorted, eyes still hovering on Sasha. "That's three hundred miles away," he frowned. "You going to pay for that, girlie?"

I frowned. "One, don't call me girlie. Two, why in the name of the gods would I be holding out a casino debit card if I couldn't pay?" The guy gawped at me for a second, then snatched the card out of my hands and shoved it into the his machine.

When the lights stopped flashing, the infinity sign came up beside the dollar.

The look on the guy's face was priceless.

"Um... where about, Your Highness?" he stammered. Behind us, Percy choked, smirking at me with a wink. One of my eyebrows rose.

"The Santa Monica Pier," I answered. "The faster the better." The guy never let the car get below ninety.

I shuffled in my seat, trying unsuccessfully to block out whatever problem the others were talking about in the back. I didn't want to know, especially while I was trying not to fall asleep. Well, part of me was anyway. The other part of me thought I might finally get the answers I wanted so badly. After all, it was only a dream, only sleep. How badly could it affect me?

Then again, they don't say ignorance is bliss for nothing.

The dream-me was stood in the middle of what looked like a clearing in a forest, and looked around fourteen years old. Trees surrounded me, making me feel a little claustrophobic. The grass was covered in a fine layer of snow, but my footprints left no mark, my breath didn't stir the air around me.

Through the trees to the left, I could see a camp site. Tents were pitched around the outer edge, circling a large fire in the middle. A dozen white wolves prowled around, as though they were on guard duty. Girls hurried around, all wearing silver jackets and jeans, all armed with a bow and arrows. But just as dream-me was about to take a closer look, something materialised right in front of her. And when I say something, I mean someone.

Apollo looked exactly the same in my dream as he did in real-life; tall, tanned and strong with bright brown eyes and ruffled sandy hair. My stomach twisted at the thought of dreaming about a god, but I didn't get much time to contemplate that as he stepped forward with an uneasy smirk.

"Artemis called," he told dream-me in a careful voice. "Surprised she thought it was a good idea letting me within a hundred yards of you."

"She didn't," her hoarse voice replied as she folded her arms tight over her chest. "But since Thalia and Percy are about to kill each other, she didn't see much other choice."

_Thalia?_ My heart hammered furiously in my chest. This was the second time she'd appeared in one of my dreams, and in both, it didn't seem possible that she could be there; one where I was sixteen, and now with Percy. Percy had never and _can never_ meet Thalia. So how . . .

"I noticed," Apollo was saying, a frown deepening above his eyes. "They almost caught you in the crossfire."

"Don't," she warned, shaking her head furiously and taking a step away from him. He shifted nervously, like every movement she made was painful. "This is all hard enough as it is, I don't need you trying to protect me."

"They're supposed to care about you, and they're going to get you killed," he scowled.

"And what about you?" she snapped back. Snapping at a god . . . maybe I suddenly developed suicidal tendencies at fourteen years old. "If Zeus sees you here-"

"You're too close," he interrupted, shaking his head. "The amount of tests you've completed, you're too close to finishing. We don't have time to find someone else."

"Oh, that's brilliant!" she as good as yelled. "What about you? You saw what he was like over summer, Apollo, and as easily as you can forget, I can't. He wasn't kidding. You shouldn't be anywhere near me."

"You want me to stand back and watch you die?" he frowned quietly. I watched her face fall and shoulders sag, taking deep breaths in a vain, unsuccessful attempt to calm down. Apollo pursed his lips, taking a cautious step forward. When she didn't move away, he moved closer again. "I'll stay away, if that's what you want," he said, and she bit the inside of her lip to stop herself replying. "I won't stop Thalia and Percy arguing, I won't getting in the way of your tests, and I won't treat you any differently while you're at camp."

The dream-me shuffled. "Erm . . . thanks," she said uncertainly.

Apollo almost smiled, a strange expression I'd never seen before. "Doesn't mean anything's changed," he muttered. Then he stepped forward and kissed her. And, worse than that, she caved almost instantly, wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

The car jerked to a halt just as I snapped out of my dream, bolting upright with wide eyes, a hammering heart and no breath to speak of. Sasha had her head rested on my knee, staring at me in concern as I reached up and pulled the burning locket off my skin with a loud wince.

Beside me, the driver mumbled something, pointing out of the window and reluctantly pulling the LotusCash card out of machine. I stretched out with a yawn, shaking my head. "Keep it. You did good." He raised an eyebrow at me, but I just smiled and pushed the door open, letting Sasha out before following her with weak knees.

Percy, Annabeth and Grover clambered out beside me, all stretching out and yawning widely. "You should go and see what your father wants," Annabeth told him, pointing at the sea. "We'll wait on the beach for you, okay?" Slowly and nervously, Percy nodded and turned to head down the beach. He hesitated on the edge of the water, then started striding into the surf. Soon, his head went under and he disappeared from sight.

"So," Grover started as we walked down to the beach, staring after Percy in silence. "I guess we just sit?"

"Guess so," Annabeth shrugged.

"Acacia Grace?" a voice came, and the three of us spun, automatically reaching for weapons. But the girl stood in front of us just smiled. At the sight of her, Sasha barked cheerfully, plodding forward and settling at her feet as her tail dusted the sand. The girl must have been about twelve years old, with oddly silver eyes and auburn hair, dressed in grey jeans, combat boots and a silver t-shirt. I knew instantly that this was Artemis, the goddess of the Hunt.

She knelt down and took Sasha's face in her hands, ruffling her fur affectionately. "You have done remarkably well, Sasha," the goddess praised. "Miss Grace has passed many expectations."

I raised an eyebrow, flicking my gaze uncertainly toward Grover and Annabeth. Very deliberately, they both took a step back, shrugging with glistening eyes. Rolling mine in their sockets, I turned my attention back to the goddess as she straightened out, still smiling. "Acacia Grace," she smiled. I gulped once, vaguely remembering how well my last encounters with gods had gone. "May I speak with you in private?"

I hesitated, but nodded once and followed her as she turned to walk down the beach. Sasha swiftly moved to Annabeth's side, sitting down and watching the two of us walk away with her head tilted to the side.

"You've done very well, Acacia Grace," Artemis started, not bothering to look at me as we walked. There was a lump in my throat I couldn't talk past, but since my mind was a mixed up jumble of thankful prayers that I was still alive by some miracle, I figured it might not be a bad thing. Artemis flicked her gaze toward me with a curious frown. "But you don't think so, do you?"

I cleared my throat a few times before I found it in me to speak. "I just . . . I think Thalia would have been better at this than me," I admitted. "She was always stronger than I was."

"You think so?" Artemis questioned, looking mildly intrigued by the idea. "Didn't your sister constantly fight with your mother?"

I blinked. "Well, yeah, but-"

"And she ran away when you were quite young, didn't she?"

I thought I could feel an unusual anger building in the pit of my stomach. It took me awhile to figure out how to keep my face straight. "Yes," I replied in monotone.

Artemis glanced sideways at me. "And you spent three years protecting your mother?"

"And failed," I finished sourly.

"Three years is much longer than anyone thought you could last," she told me simply, and I stuffed my hands into my pockets before I could clench them. "In fact, I believe Ares was even stupid enough to bet Apollo you wouldn't last more than a few months."

I opened my mouth to protest, but found the words I was looking for had disappeared. I blinked a few times, then dropped my gaze to my feet. Why was it that the mention of Apollo made me so uncomfortable? After all, it was just a dream . . .

I wasn't sure what Artemis saw when she looked at me, but it can't have been good. Sighing heavily, she sat herself down on the sand, and motioned for me to do that same. I did as she asked, sitting beside her and curling my legs up beneath my chin. "May I ask you why you stayed?" she started softly.

I met her gaze for a moment, resisting the urge to run my necklace through my fingers with great difficulty. "It was my Mum," I shrugged. "She was so devastated when Thalia walked out, I thought so was going to hurt herself. I didn't want to leave her to look after herself. I knew she wouldn't be able to cope. So I stayed."

"Despite how many monsters found you under Hades's orders," Artemis finished. I didn't say anything, fixing my gaze on the sandy beach ahead of me. Over the past week, I'd got a lot of my memories back and very few of them were anything good. "And now you're travelling to the Underworld again."

"If we don't get that bolt back, they will go to war," I pointed out.

Artemis smiled sadly. "I was aware. The gods are already choosing their sides."

"Sides?" I breathed weakly.

"Everyone but Ares is supporting Poseidon," she said, almost regretfully. "It seems that it's working out the same at Camp Half-Blood."

I thought about that for a moment; going to war with at least three quarters of camp with Clarisse and her gang of thugs stood beside me. It wasn't a nice picture. "I can't fight them," I said in a hoarse voice. "I don't get on with Clarisse anyway, let alone when everyone's at war!"

The goddess looked torn for a moment. "Then I suppose you had better find the Master Bolt, or you're going to have to make some very difficult decisions. Zeus cannot force you to fight for him, after all."

The thought made me shudder on the spot, and I found myself shaking my head furiously. "I won't fight," I protested. "I can't. I can't fight a war where both sides are innocent, it's insane!"

She scanned my expression for a moment. "It is rather pointless, isn't it? And yet, neither side will concede without the bolt being returned by Perseus Jackson."

"He didn't steal it," I told her.

"You seem very certain," she frowned.

"I know Percy," I gulped. "He wouldn't do this. He wouldn't start a war!"

Something flickered in her expression. "If that is true, it is certainly a welcome thought," she said with a heavy sigh. "However, I'm afraid it will take more than the word of his daughter to convince Zeus. And I'm sure Hera would be most distressed if your word was all it took."

I snorted, pursing my lips to stop myself commenting. Instead, I searched for a change of subject, and found myself wondering again about the strange dreams I'd been having. Flicking my gaze toward her awkwardly, I lifted my hands and unclasped my locket from around my neck. "Do you recognise this?" I asked.

She held her hand out and I dropped the locket into it, suddenly feeling oddly bare without it around my neck. For a moment, she threaded the chain through her fingers. But when her eyes fell onto the locket, she went rigid on the spot, staring at it with a stunned expression.

"Where did you get this?" she asked slowly.

I squirmed. "Daniel Law," I replied. "He was at my school in Scotland. He gave it to me when a Kindly One showed up at our hotel over here."

"And I hear you met my dear brother, Apollo?" I tried not to react to his name, but by the look on her face, I didn't do so well. "Acacia, my brother . . . Apollo is a very unpredictable god. When he isn't busy being a complete fool, he can be remarkably intelligent. But being the god of prophecy is harder than he makes it appear to most people. Sometimes, he tries a little too hard to make certain prophecies come true, while others he keeps as quiet as he possibly can. I'm afraid that, for you at least, it would be incredibly dangerous to have anything to do with him."

"You're not the first person to tell me that," I told her honestly.

She raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

I nodded. "Chiron told me to stay away from him when he was telling Percy and me about the Master Bolt. No one will tell me why."

She paused, frowning thoughtfully as though debating how honest she should be with me. "You are a remarkable demigod, Acacia," she finally said. "Remarkable demigods attract a lot of attention, not all of it good. With all the attention you are already receiving, I would not suggest attracting anymore is a good idea."

"That was a very . . . vague answer," I told her.

She chuckled lightly. "Yes, but I'm afraid that is as much as I can tell you right now. In time, many of your questions will be answered. For now, I think it is best you keep focused on the Underworld. I daresay you understand the, err, _delicacy _of the situation."

A shudder ran down my spine, but I nodded as she stood back up. I hurried to my feet, just as the sound of a wave crashing sounded in my ears and Percy stumbled back onto the shore, bone dry and frowning in confusion. "I believe that is your cue to leave," Artemis smiled. "But I am sure we will meet again."

I almost snorted, nodding once and turning away as her form glowed bright gold. Sighing inwardly, I made my way back toward Percy, Annabeth, Grover and Sasha, my hands in my pockets as I kicked the sand dejectedly.

"Tell me it isn't bad news," Percy moaned, staring at the spot Artemis had disappeared from over my shoulder.

I scoffed. "I was about to tell you the same thing." He stared at me expectantly. "No, it isn't bad news. You?"

Sighing, he held out his palm, where four pebbles seemed to be shining in the sun. I raised an eyebrow, glancing at Annabeth and Grover. "Our ticket home," Percy explained.

"Pebbles?" I questioned. He frowned. "Sorry, but it sounds as odd as the poodle thing. Maybe not as bad."

"Can we just go?" Annabeth groaned as Percy opened his mouth to argue. "We don't really have time for this."

"Lead the way," I said, indicating at Percy. He slipped the pebbles into his pocket, sending me a pointed look before making his way back up the beach.


	25. Chapter TwentyFour: Voices

"Erm, Acacia?" I turned around, glancing at Annabeth expectantly and trying to shake the feeling I was being watched.

"What's up Annabeth?" She glanced at Percy and Grover uncertainly, but the two were absorbed in their conversation, a few yards ahead of us. Her face was paler than usual and she kept fiddling with the beads on her leather necklace from Camp.

"Well... err... you might already know, since you've been acting really weird lately, but Percy was talking about this dream he had."

I felt my chest tighten and my heart hammer against my ribs uncomfortably, but I kept my face straight and raised a single eyebrow. "What sort of dream?" I asked carefully.

Annabeth chewed at her lip for a moment. "Well, what are you dreaming about?" she asked, sighing heavily. I could tell she didn't want to say whatever it was out loud, just like I could tell it scared her. But there was no way I was spilling my guts about dreaming about Apollo and my dead sister. And why would Percy be dreaming about them anyway?

I tried to cast my mind back and was immediately hit with a sinking feeling as I remembered the worrying dreams stood in front of a chasm. "Oh! You mean that voice? At the bottom of a pit?"

She shuddered violently, nodding. "D-Do you know what that means?" she muttered at me.

I blinked, totally confused as I shook my head at her. "Erm, I can tell you it's annoying if that helps," I shrugged. Annabeth gawped slightly. "I don't know what you want me to say, Annabeth. Why? What's wrong this time?"

"Percy thought it was down in the Underworld," she said slowly.

I raised my eyebrows. "You mean Hades?" She stared, her eyes wide and hopeful. I didn't quite understand why she'd be hopeful about creepy dreams involving Hades, but I shook my head with a frown. "That's not Hades, Annabeth. Granted, Hades isn't a god you want to upset, but that's not him. It's not a god's voice. It sounded . . . older, almost, if that makes any sense."

Apparently it did, because she let out a strange whimpering noise and snapped her gaze away from me quickly. I raised an eyebrow. "Annabeth, I've been having those dreams since I was old enough to remember. Nothing's ever happened. Sure, it's creepy and nothing it says is good, but the most it's ever done was disturb my sleep."

She stared at me, her jaw hanging slightly. "You really have no idea, do you?" she breathed.

"Hey, there is absolutely no need to insult my intelligence," I scowled at her. She blinked, muttering something I couldn't catch under her breath and shaking her head in exasperation. "Annabeth, if there's something you want to say, just say it, okay? But seriously, it's not that bad."

"Yes, Acacia, it is," she frowned. "Anyway, I'm sure I'm wrong."

I scoffed, halting on the spot and staring at her in surprise. "Hang on, I want to remember this moment exactly right."

"What? Why?" Annabeth frowned, glancing around her.

"One of Athena's children, as in, Athena the goddess of wisdom, just hoped she was wrong." Annabeth scowled at me, pulling herself free and stalking toward Percy. "Aw, come on! You have got to admit that never happens!"

"What is with you?" she snapped angrily at me. My face fell and I shrugged, all humour lost. I knew exactly what was coming. "Do you have multiple personality disorder or something? You're usually so calm and... sensible and now that it matters, you're no better than him." She pointed at Percy as though he was the cause of some horrible plague.

"Annabeth, breath," I said. She glowered at me, but I kept my face straight. "I just don't understand what's so scary about a nightmare. Like I said, I've been having them since I was about five, and-"

"That doesn't make it better, Acacia!" she hissed at me. "That's worse! A lot worse!"

"Annabeth," I frowned, suddenly dropping my voice until it was stern and irritated. "Either spit it out, or change the tune."

Her eyes widened a fraction, but she took a deep breath and straightened out. "I think... I think the pit in your dreams is Tartarus," she mumbled. I frowned for a second, staring ahead with my hands deep in my pockets. It took me a moment to realise what she meant.

My mind raced back to my school in Scotland, with my history teacher, Mr Graham. I remembered he used to test me on the simpler facts, like who the world had been divided between. But then I remembered when he had asked about how the gods had come to power, who they had defeated.

Before I could stop myself, I scoffed weakly. "You're kidding me? Annabeth, that's insane. Why on Earth would K-" She slapped a hand around my mouth and held it there, flinching as a shock of electricity rushed through my skin but refusing to move away.

"It was just a theory," she insisted quietly. "You're probably right, but don't . . . don't say his name. Ever."

Slowly, I lifted a hand and pushed her arm away, stretching out my jaw cautiously. "Okay," I nodded. "But next time to smack me-"

"Stick to the point, would you?" Annabeth pleaded.

I held my hands up in surrender, glancing curiously in Percy's direction. He was still absorbed in conversation with Grover, Sasha plodding along between them with her tail between her legs and her ears back to keep tabs on us. "Fine. But I still don't understand. Have you ever . . . you know . . ."

Annabeth stared at me, startled. "Had that dream? No. No, I haven't, thank the gods." I pursed my lips tightly, flicking my eyes back to Percy.

"Why us?" I asked, only realising I had said it out loud when Annabeth flinched beside me. She knew. I knew she knew. She probably knew I knew she knew. Maybe that was why she suddenly became very interested in her necklace. "What Annabeth?"

"N-Nothing," she stammered.

"You are a terrible liar," I groaned. "And I lived with Thalia for a long time. I know a lie when I hear one. Spill."

"I can't," she mumbled at me.

"Why?" I demanded, my annoyance rushing back with a vengeance. "Why won't anyone tell me anything? Acacia, you're being moved to Scotland. Why? Oh, we can't tell you that. Look, now you're being hunted by Furies. Why? Put it to the back of your mind. Next, you're being tested by twelve gods, one of which wants very badly to kill you. Why? You'll know when the time's right. And to top it off, you'll have really weird dreams, that seem to make sense to everyone else but you. Oh and of course, we can't bloody tell you!"

I breathed heavily, scowling into the distance. Annabeth had her teeth dug into her bottom lip and her eyes were glistening, like she was about to cry. I cursed under my breath.

"You know you weren't supposed to be born?" she said, her voice shaking.

"Thanks for that Annabeth," I sighed sarcastically, massaging my temples. "Nice to know I'm loved."

"You know what I mean," she frowned. "Zeus, Poseidon and Hades took an oath never to sire demigod children."

"Yeap, I remember," I gulped sourly, my face setting.

"Well, most people think it was because of World War II," she continued.

I opened my mouth, but stopped, frowning across at her. "Think?" I repeated curiously. She paled slightly, but gulped and nodded. "Why do I know I'm not going to like the next thing that comes out of your mouth?" Annabeth grimaced at me, but before she could say anything, Sasha barked loudly.

"Erm, guys!" Percy called. "We have a little problem."

"Little? There's the understatement for the century," I muttered sourly, shooting Annabeth a knowing look. "But what now?" I turned and felt my eyes widen. "You have got to be kidding me."

"Maybe we should..." Grover stammered nervously.

"Right behind you," I agreed.

At the end of the street, heading right toward us, were at least eight hellhounds. The four of us turned to legged it back the way we had come. As we ran, Percy pulled out his pen and uncapped Riptide, while I fumbled with my locket. Percy, Annabeth and Grover hurried around the corner, but I skidded to a halt. Muttering a prayer to my father, I pulled the bow over my head and took out an arrow.

"Acacia! Hurry up!" Annabeth cried out.

"Keep going, I'll catch up!" The hellhounds were closing in, faster than I could have ran without the wind. And I wasn't going anywhere that fast if the other's couldn't follow. I pulled the bow back as far as I could and aimed carefully, yet quickly. It sliced through the air, flying straight for the first hellhound. It shrieked out as lightning cracked, causing it to explode in a cloud of yellow dust, knocking the nearest two off their feet.

"ACACIA!"

"KEEP RUNNING!" I hung my bow back over my shoulder hurriedly and turned. Percy, Annabeth and Grover were out of sight and the hellhounds were too close to chase after them. Then my eyes fell on a ladder running up the side of the nearest building.

I bolted, hauling myself up as quickly as I managed the rock climbing wall at the Lotus Hotel. The hellhounds missed me by inches. But they weren't my biggest worry. I took a deep breath as I made it to the roof, just as a figure dropped from the sky. I glanced up.

"Gods, you can't take the hint, can you?" I groaned wryly.

Tisiphone smiled evilly at me. "You cannot be allowed to return to Perseus Jackson," she told me simply, watching me as I stood up straight.

"Oh, okay then. I'll just forget everything I have had to do to bloody get here and give up, shall I? I don't think so."

"You have more than enough to worry about yourself, Acacia Grace," she scowled. "How many gods have you proved yourself to at the moment?"

My face set and I pulled my eyebrows together. "Zeus sent me to help Percy. Even if I wanted to stay away, I don't have a choice." Tisiphone sighed, as though it pained her to have to tell me what she thought.

"If you won't quit yourself, I shall have to stop you," she grimaced. There was a crack and suddenly, there was a fiery whip in her hands. Before I could even move, she had flicked it, the end wrapping around my bow and quiver like something off an Indiana Jones movie. I winced as it was torn off my body, the golden locket clattering to the floor at Tisiphone's feet. "Aww, what a lovely necklace. Shame really."

She stamped on it.

An anger so unknown to me, so overwhelming, gripped my stomach tightly. The temperature dropped a hundred degrees and lightning cracked overhead. Tisiphone, the stupid bat, looked up in surprise, just as I pulled out my right sword. I bolted for her. She gasped and just managed to flick her whip out again. It wrapped tightly around my sword and she pulled, making me stumble toward her. But she didn't see my hand fly to my other belt. She could do absolutely nothing as I pulled out my other sword and ran her through with it.

With a loud shriek, she burst into dust.

I stood, breathing heavily for a moment, staring at the spot my old science teacher had disappeared from. But my right hand felt like it was on fire. Wincing, I slowly let go of my sword and let it clash to the floor. Around the middle of it, where Tisiphone's whip had wrapped around it, the metal had melted and been misshapen. It only made the jagged end more terrifying. My hand was burned pretty badly too, but the air around me was still that cold, I could barely feel my fingers, let alone a burn.

At my feet, my locket lay unharmed and whole. Still, the anger burned in the pit of my stomach as I bent down and picked it up. I would kill that bat a hundred times if she ever did that again. Stupid, good for nothing-

"Shouldn't you get going?" I whipped around, my uninjured hand tightening around my sword. "Whoa! Relax would you?"

Apollo was smirking at me slightly as he lifted his hands in surrender. It felt odd, to see him again. At the camp, talking to him had been like talking to Dionysus. Basically, like talking to a god. But now, after all the strange dreams I had seen, I felt incredibly nervous. The locket seemed to send small electrical shots up my arm as I tightened my hand around it and slipped it into my pocket absent-mindedly. Luckily, Apollo didn't seem to notice.

"Going where?" I asked.

He raised an eyebrow. "Remember Percy? Your thieving cousin?"

I sighed heavily, rolling my eyes. "He isn't a thief," I protested. "We wouldn't be here if he was."

Apollo didn't look convinced, but he shrugged and peered over the edge of the roof. "The wolf's pacing down there," he muttered.

"She's called Sasha," I replied, frowning slightly as I followed his gaze. Sasha stopped pacing and sat down, staring up at me. Her head tilted to the side as she glanced between Apollo and I, her voice slightly confused in my head. I couldn't make out exactly what she was saying, but suddenly, she became very focused on finding Percy, Annabeth and Grover, snapping her gaze away from us. "That's odd."

"What?" Apollo asked, yawning loudly as though he couldn't care less.

"She never usually hides her thoughts from me," I answered, speaking more to myself than I was to him. He stiffened slightly, peering back down at the wolf. I frowned, but he just snorted and turned away. "I don't mean to be rude..."

"If you don't mean to be rude, you wouldn't say whatever it is that's going to be rude, would you?" Apollo smirked.

I frowned again. "Why are you here?" I asked bluntly.

Apollo stared for a moment. "Your test will be soon," he mumbled. "Like I said, you should really go find Percy."

"What has my test got to do with Percy?" I frowned. He met my gaze, waiting expectantly. I felt an uncomfortable fear settle in my chest. "Why?" I completely forgot I was talking to a god, my voice becoming protective and harsh.

Apollo's eyes widened slightly and he held his hands up in surrender. "I didn't do or cause anything, I swear," he said hurriedly. "But you have to help him. Manage it and you've passed. Easy. Well–"

"I get the idea," I muttered, bolting for the ladder. I had just stepped onto the top step when Apollo caught my wrist in his hand. I froze, glancing up at him and meeting his gaze. He didn't say anything for a moment or two, instead just staring at me as though I might suddenly tell him the answers to the universe.

"You really shouldn't keep it in your pocket Acacia," he mumbled carefully. I felt my breath catch in my throat and only just managed to stop myself choking loudly. "It will only work when it's around your neck." I hesitated.

"Sure," I finally managed to mutter. Apollo blinked, turning away and walking to the other edge of the roof. When his form started to glow golden, I hurried down the stairs and dropped down beside Sasha.

_Was that Lord Apollo, my lady?_ she asked, almost hesitantly.

"Sasha, if you have something to say," I said, pulling the locket out of my pocket and wrapping it around my neck hastily.

_There is nothing my lady,_ she sighed. _Would you like me to lead you to your friends?_

"Yes, and quickly," I breathed, nodding. She barked once, then broke into a run in the direction Percy, Annabeth and Grover had run. I followed her, pulling the locket open as I went. If this was my test from Apollo, archery wouldn't go a miss.


	26. Chapter TwentyFive: Half The Battle

Sasha suddenly came to an abrupt halt in front of me, her body tensing. I waited impatiently behind her, shuffling on my feet. Her head tilted back to me and she whined in her throat, but turned back and sniffed at the air cautiously. Without warning, she broke into a run and skidded around the corner. I bolted after her, almost tripping over her when she suddenly stopped.

"You really gotta give a girl warning," I breathed, staggering back slightly.

_Sorry, my lady,_ Sasha apologised distractedly. She sniffed at the door of a shop and I squinted at the sign. It took a moment for me to decipher it. It read; CRUSTY'S WATER BED PALACE.

"Are you kidding me?" I hissed. Sasha whined, glancing back at me with an offended look. "Sorry, but..."

_They are here, my lady,_ she insisted.

"I trust you completely," I assured her, slipping my bow off my shoulders and taking a few hesitant steps toward the window. Carefully, I leant forward and peered past the neon signs blocking my gaze. Before I could see anything, Annabeth screamed. That wiped all rational thought from my mind.

_My lady-_ Sasha started, but I had already pulled an arrow from my quiver and whipped back around, pushing the door open. I actually jolted to a horrified stop as I scanned the room.

Percy, Annabeth and Grover were each strapped to a water bed, Percy and Annabeth on either side of Grover. Ropes had been wrapped around their waists, legs and wrists, holding them in place. More ropes had been wrapped around their ankles and their armpits, pulling them in opposite directions. Annabeth was paling fast, her expression so pained I wondered if I would ever forget it. Grover let out a weak, nervous bleat and Percy scowled at a man I hadn't noticed at first, struggling and wincing when he twisted wrong.

The man was at least seven feet tall, with absolutely no hair. He had grey, leathery skin, thick lidded eyes and a cold, reptilian smile. His suit made it look like he had just stepped out of the Lotus Casino. It definitely belonged in the seventies. He turned and eyed me thoughtfully, tapping his chin slowly.

"Um, we might just have one over there," he said carefully, turning to face the right direction.

"A-Ac-cai-ca," Percy choked. Annabeth let out a weak whimper, no energy to scream properly. Grover bleated again.

Without conscious thought, I armed my bow and narrowed my gaze as the man took a step toward me. Sasha skidded around my feet, snarling angrily. He completely ignored her, as though her jaws didn't have the power to rip him apart. I pulled the bow back, the tip cracking with more lightning than I have ever used before. That made him falter in his steps.

"Acacia!" Grover yelled out. Before I could change my mind, I turned and aimed at the rope around his waist.

"Watch yourself," I warned quietly, my entire body shaking with the sheer force of thunder. The second the arrow was released, it cracked like lightning and sped toward Grover, thunder disturbing everything else around it. The tip skimmed Grover by millimetres and somehow, by some miracle, the lightning stuck to the rope and avoided Grover like the plague. The man took another step toward me.

_My lady please,_ Sasha as good as begged. _It has been so long._

I sighed, lowering my bow and regarding the man stood in front of me with disgust. "Sure, why not?" The words were hardly out of my mouth when Sasha lunged at the man. He fell back with the weight of the wolf, letting out a surprised yelp. I turned my attention back to Percy, Annabeth and Grover. The ropes around Grover had been completely burned away and I leapt forward to catch him and steady him before he fell. "Are you okay?" I asked carefully.

"Yeah, but-" Grover cut off, glancing back at Percy and Annabeth. The lightning had split in two, freeing Percy and Annabeth as fast as it could. And... well, it was lightning. It could do things pretty fast. I caught Annabeth before she hit the ground and Grover tried to catch Percy, but the two stumbled to the ground. Sasha barked loudly, snapping at a water bed and bursting it, lapping up the water quickly.

_He will not be moving again, my lady,_ Sasha announced happily.

I grimaced at her, shuddering slightly. She looked kinda scary. "We should get going," I muttered, slinging my bow back over my shoulder. I didn't let it turn back into the locket. For some reason, I felt safer with it like this.

"Acacia's right," Annabeth gasped, rubbing her spine and frowning. Percy shoved a hand in his pocket, clenching it around his pen. "We should get moving."

"Where to?" Grover breathed, rolling his shoulders and wincing.

"DOA Recording Studios," Percy answered, his voice croaking a little. I raised an eyebrow, shaking my head. "I have no idea."

_Perhaps I will be able to smell it out,_ Sasha suggested cautiously, toddling toward me and standing by my feet. _The Underworld has a ... distinctive smell._

"What?" Annabeth asked immediately after the rumbling in Sasha's throat stopped.

"She says she might be able to smell the place out," I replied sourly. "Apparently, the Underworld stinks." Sasha whined her disapproval at my phrasing but Percy snorted.

"One way to put it I guess," he grumbled. "Okay then. Lead the way." Sasha glanced at him, then at me. I nodded once. She barked and spun around, trotting out of the shop with Percy, Annabeth and Grover hot on her heels. I had just made it to the door when a golden light emitted from behind me. I turned slowly, hand inching closer to my belt.

"Will you ever learn to relax?" Apollo mocked, leaning casually against the wall. I sighed, letting my hand drop to my side.

"There's a goddess determined to kill me and I'm travelling to the Underworld," I frowned. "I don't think relaxation really comes into the equation."

Apollo shrugged, smirking.

"Well, congratulations," he said. "Not many would have been able to shoot with that much accuracy. And the power..." He trailed off, his expression a little distant. I raised an eyebrow. "I guess I forgot how powerful a half-blood could be."

"Powerful?" I repeated, a little surprised.

Apollo snorted. "Suppose it's a good thing for you at the moment, what with Hera." His eyes hovered on the bow and quiver over my shoulder. "Good luck. You'll need it."

"Thanks, I'm filled with confidence," I sighed sarcastically.

Apollo smirked at me. He started to say something as I turned, so I stopped and glanced back at him expectantly. "You're not done, you know," he warned me, his expression oddly grave.

My stomach twisted, but I raised an eyebrow. "Pardon?"

"Your test," he explained. "My test. You're not done. I mean, you're a brilliant archer, but that's only half the battle."

I wasn't entirely sure what to say to that. I was almost positive that if another god had said that to me, I'd been incredibly nervous. But for some reason, I couldn't bring myself to feel it. I met his gaze unwaveringly for a moment, then nodded once and turned out of the shop. At the end of the street, Sasha barked at me, her head tilted to the side in confusion. Taking a deep breath, I ran toward her and tried to shake the odd feeling I had.

Twenty minutes later, the four of us and Sasha were stood in front of the DOA Recording Studios trying to muster the courage to go inside.

"Does anyone else feel really bad about this?" Percy frowned.

I snorted, staring up at the building with an increasing feeling of nausea. "Percy, I was kidnapped and kept here for a year because I wasn't supposed to be born," I reminded him sourly. "You think I'm overjoyed to be here again?"

He winced sharply. "Sorry," he mumbled.

"Can we just go?" Grover said, shuffling beside me nervously. I glanced at him and Annabeth, both of whom looked more than a little scared. Percy was frowning again, but I could tell he was the same. I already knew I was.

"We'll be fine," I nodded carefully, taking a step toward the studios. "Positive thinking."

"In the Underworld?" Annabeth asked, frowning slightly.

I set my expression with a frown. "Look, I am not walking in here with the thought that I am actually going to die. If we do survive this, I want to come back sane. So quit with the negativity and let's get this over with." Annabeth, Grover and Percy blinked, then nodded numbly and followed me through the gates. Sasha didn't move.

"Erm, Acacia?" Annabeth said slowly. I pursed my lips, gulping slightly. I knew Annabeth wanted Sasha to come with us. Just like I knew Sasha wanted to come with us. But I also knew she couldn't.

"Sasha, meet us when we get back, okay?" I asked in a small voice.

She whined in her throat, shuffling just outside the gates. _Of course my lady,_ she said sadly. _I'll find you._

"If we aren't back by morning-"

_My lady, you will-_

"Sasha," I interrupted, gulping. The wolf whined, but remained slight. "If we aren't back by morning, head back to Camp. Chiron will know what's going on."

_Yes my lady,_ Sasha sniffed. _Good luck. To all of you._ I grimaced at her, turning and heading into the Recording Studios with Percy, Grover and Annabeth hot on my heels. As we stepped through the front doors, Percy pulled me back and halted in front of Annabeth and Grover.

"Here," he said, placing a small pebble in my palm. When I looked more closely, it looked like a seagreen pearl. I frowned curiously, glancing back up at him. He looked pale and ill as he gulped and took a deep breath. "I'm not a hundred percent sure what they do, but I have four."

"Percy," Grover started slowly, grimacing. "What about your mum?"

Percy paled even more. "Percy, you have to be careful," Annabeth muttered. "Hades will use your mum as bribery." Percy frowned, but he didn't say anything.

I pursed my lips tightly, gulping. "If there is any way to get your mum back, I'll help you, I promise. But if this war starts Percy..."

"I get it," he muttered. "Besides, if I get her back and start a war, she'd only ground me for the rest of my life."

"On the up side, it wouldn't last very long," Grover shrugged. The three of us stared. "What? It's true." Rolling my eyes, I turned to face the room.

The lobby of DOA studios were incredibly dull, which was predictable I suppose. The walls and carpets were a steel grey and the chairs were covered with black leather. And the place was crowded. Every seat was taken. There were people sitting in the corners, standing up, pacing, staring out the windows and standing by the elevators. If I looked into the distant, I could everyone perfectly fine out the corner of my eyes. If I then tried to look at them properly, they started to look transparent.

Percy nudged my arm and pointed across to the security guard. "Well, here goes nothing," I muttered, letting Percy led the way across the room. The security guard raised his eyebrows and looked up at us questioningly.

Grover bleated nervously. "We're dead," he stammered quietly. I bit my lip hard, closing my eyes so that the security guard wouldn't see me roll them. Apparently, it looked like I was about to cry with devastation at the news I was dead.

"Aw, little dear going to cry?" the guard sneered. I kept my eyes shut, trying not to laugh. The stupid idiot thought I was about to cry? "You ain't got money, you're not getting through, crying or not." My teeth couldn't have got any further into my bottom lip.

"We need to get to the Underworld," Percy insisted. There was a pause, in which I kept my eyes shut tightly.

"You're not dead," the guard said bluntly.

My eyes opened and narrowed. "Look, does it really make much of a difference to you anyway?" I snapped.

The guard laughed once. "I hardly get paid as it is, half-blood," he scowled. "I'm not about to risk what little money I do get by letting four living demigods into the Underworld." I raised an eyebrow, glancing at Percy. Apparently, we were thinking the same thing. Behind us, Annabeth groaned quietly, lowering her head into her hands and muttering sourly to herself.

"You know what?" Percy started. "I agree. Staying here all day, doing the work you do, and you can't be paid enough." The guard frowned, but nodded slowly. I glanced down at the name tag. I almost called him Chiron, but I adjusted myself quickly.

"Charon, is it?" The guard raised his eyebrows, impressed.

"First one to get my name right in years," he grumbled. "Always mixing me up with that ridiculous old centaur Chiron. Do I look like I'm half horse?"

"Terrible," I agreed. "Under paid _and_ underappreciated." Charon watched me cautiously, but I could tell he was lapping it up. Percy pulled out a stack of drachmas from his backpack and sat them in front of Charon. His eyes flashed greedily and he reached out for them. Percy snatched them away again quickly, smirking slightly.

"Not so fast," he sighed. "You think I'm stupid?" Charon eyed his expression, as though wondering whether to push him or not. Whatever he saw, he turned to me, his eyes narrowed. I met his gaze, my face straight and defiant.

"I suppose there is room for four more," he admitted reluctantly. Percy set two drachma down on the stand. He eyed money in Percy's hand, flicking it toward the lesser amount he'd had put in front of him. Percy smiled back pleasantly. "Wait by the elevator." He set four more drachma down and turned for the elevator. "Hey! You've got more there!"

"Oh, so we have," I smiled, pulling Percy back before he could hand the lot over. "Consider it a bonus for arrival."

Charon groaned, but pulled a pass from his stand and moved toward us. He shoved a few lost souls out of the way and opened the elevator, muttering about how inconvenient half-bloods could be. I smiled slightly as Percy, Grover, Annabeth and I slipped into the elevator. The music wasn't the cheesy stuff that usually got on my nerves. Instead, it was a gloomy, depressing tune that sent shudders down my spine.

None of us said a word as we waited. The elevator started its descent, a journey that seemed to last forever. With every passing second, the sense of impending doom increased. What the hell was I thinking? I couldn't go back to the Underworld. It was because of Hades that I'd been moved to Scotland, that I spent three years of my life fighting constantly to protect my mother and me. I would have preferred death.

Then again, I wondered what would happen to me in the Underworld. My father had turned Thalia into a tree to stop her travelling to the Underworld, yet it was his orders that brought me here. It told me one or two things. One, he didn't care. Or two, he thought I might actually survive. I tried to make myself believe the second, but everyone else had stared at me with pity. None of them thought we had a hope of surviving.

The elevator suddenly jerked forward and for a moment, I couldn't see properly. My stomach churned uncomfortably and I instantly felt... sea sick? I blinked rapidly, trying to see what was going on. We were in a boat, travelling down a river. A polluted river at that. But it wasn't with oil, or filth as such. It was rubbish. Things like dolls with no heads and shredded bits of paper that looked like certificates of some sort.

"What is all this?" Annabeth gasped, her eyes wide and appalled. Charon snorted and I turned, my jaw dropping. He had changed, a black cloak draped over him with its hood up. I couldn't see his face very well, but what little I could see made me turn away quickly.

"The River Styx," Charon grumbled. "Polluted with all the wasted dreams of mortals." I pursed my lips tightly, my chest feeling heavier and heavier the further we moved. Annabeth took one of my hands and squeezed it tightly, shaking slightly. I tightened my hand around hers, straightening out. I wasn't going to let this place get to me. I refused.

The boat jolted to a stop on the bank, but I didn't move to get off. Annabeth stood, still holding my hand. She had Percy's in her other and her face couldn't have been any paler. I jumped to my feet and off the boat, pulling her and Percy with me. Turning back to Charon, I held out the drachma.

He snorted. "Thought you'd forgotten then," he frowned.

I scowled back. "I don't forget," I answered. "And I told you I would. I stick to my word."

Charon raised an eyebrow, staring at me oddly. Then he seemed to go rigid. "You're Acacia Grace," he suddenly said, in an overly loud voice. In the same second, Percy and I both had him at sword point.

"Want to say that a little louder?" Percy spat angrily, and I flicked my gaze toward him uncertainly for a second.

Charon snorted, holding his hands out and settling back into the boat. "Not my problem," he said. "Lord Hades will be thrilled to see you again, Miss Grace." His tone didn't fill me with confidence, and Percy yanked me back as the boat started to move away from the shore.

"We'll be fine," Annabeth squeaked behind me. I didn't turn to look at her, staring at the spot Charon had just disappeared from. "I mean, getting in is half the battle, right?"

"I'm not leaving you here, Acacia," Percy told me confidently.

"I don't plan on staying," I answered simply, my chest clenching at the sound of my strangely calm voice.

"We should get moving," Grover bleated anxiously. Taking a deep breath, Percy and I turned to stand by Annabeth and Grover's side. For a moment, the four of us stared into the Underworld with an impending sense of doom.

"Ready?" Percy asked with a shaky voice.

"No," the three of us replied.

"Sounds about right," I conceded. "Best get it over with then."


	27. Chapter TwentySix: The Underworld

There were three lines leading into the Underworld and frankly, I didn't want to join any of them. The one in the middle was the longest and seemed to be moving incredibly quickly, though not one person looked happy to be there. Probably because they finally figured they were dead. Then again, they were happier than the lot on the far left.

It was a smaller queue, maybe a third of the size. Still, when I realised where it led, it seemed far too long. Every single person was terrified, fighting and screaming. Monsters that worked for Hades literally had to drag each and every one down the rocky corridor. I knew it led to the Fields of Punishment. There was no other place it could lead to. A shudder went down my spine and I turned, setting my gaze on the far right.

The line was even smaller than the line on the left. My stomach twisted and my eyebrows pulled together disapprovingly when I realised that this line led to Elysium. There were so few people stood there, waiting to be allowed in.

"Hey, are you sure you're okay?" Percy asked quietly, frowning at the look on my face.

"Look at that," I scowled. "Look at how few people there are!" The three of them followed my gaze and Annabeth sighed heavily.

"So many people just live," she said sadly. "Not many do any real good."

"I can see that," I muttered sourly. "It's even shorter than the line for the Fields of Punishment!"

"Can we go before she starts off on a rant about morality?" Grover hissed at Percy. "I don't fancy getting caught down here." I pursed my lips tightly, still scowling.

"So which way?" Percy asked, glancing around cautiously, his hand deep in his pocket. Annabeth stared at each line in deep thought, before pointing to the line in the middle.

"Since most people just live, that's the only line that doesn't pass through the Judgement Pavilion." I raised my eyebrows slightly, waiting for an explanation. She sighed impatiently. "When you die, you go before three judges, who decide where you should go."

"Lovely," I said sarcastically. "More people to prove myself to. Oh goodie." Annabeth scowled, taking me by the wrist and hauling me toward the line in the middle, that presumably led to the Fields of Asphodel. I took a deep breath, calming myself. I had said no negativity, that I wasn't going to let this place get to me. So I wouldn't. Simple, right?

The four of us joined the line, trying not to look too guilty of anything. Luckily, the monsters on guard seemed to be a bit preoccupied. Even more fortunate, it seemed Cerberus, Hades's three headed dog, was playing up and not doing his job. I found myself straightening slightly as Annabeth shifted anxiously in front of me. I shuffled forward carefully, inching closer and closer to the gates. There were metal detectors at either side of the gate. Damn. I had two swords, a locket that turned into a bow and arrow and a knife in my boot. The likelihood we'd get through them without being noticed was minimal. In fact, it was impossible.

"Annabeth, how many weapons have you got on you?" I hissed ahead.

"Just my dagger," she answered.

"Pass it back," I instructed. "Don't stop moving when you hear the alarms." She didn't look particularly thrilled with the plan, but did as I asked and passed me her dagger. Slipping it up my sleeve, I slowed a little and let the space between Percy and me close up a bit. Annabeth led the way with Grover, leaving Percy and me lagging behind. The closer the space was between us, the less time the monsters had to react when the alarms were set off twice. I really wanted to say that that is why I closed the gap between us, and afterward, I realised that it worked like that. But honestly, I was terrified. Sure, I was frowning and had a straight back as though no one dare touch me or my friends but on the inside... that was a different story.

"Ready?" Percy hissed at me.

"As I'll ever be," I mumbled. Taking a deep breath and cringing, I stepped through the gate, right between the metal detectors. Predictably, the place was in instant uproar.

"GO!" Percy urged. Annabeth gulped and burst into a run. Grover, in his fake feet, didn't seem able to move fast enough. Percy and I grabbed an arm each and ran for it, not looking back and trying to block out the cries from the monsters and the furious barks from Cerberus. Annabeth darted around a corner, heading gods only knows where, but we raced after her, none of us wanting to slow down. Ahead of us, Annabeth skidded to a halt and slipped into a small cave-shaped hole in the side of one wall. Percy and I shoved Grover in her direction, before sliding in beside them.

"We can't hide for long," I said breathlessly. "Does anyone even know where we are?"

"The Underworld," Percy answered stupidly, clutching a stitch in his side.

"Would you take things serious for five seconds?" Annabeth spat. "We could get killed!"

Percy snorted, his eyes narrowing. "So, what's new?"

"Guys, pack it in," I sighed, peering out into the rocky corridor. They ignored me completely.

"Gods, we had better get back to Camp soon! I can't stand another minute anywhere near you," Annabeth glowered.

"Yeah, well neither can I," Percy snarled. "In fact-" My jaw locked and my heart thudded as I prodded both of them forcefully. There was a small crack and each of them slumped into the wall behind them, eyes closed and out for it.

"Finally," I muttered, rolling my eyes.

"What did you do?" Grover breathed, eyes wide.

"They'll be fine. Just give it a few minutes. But I couldn't stand anymore of their arguing and I am _not_ getting caught wandering through the Underworld with the Son of Poseidon." I glanced at their unconscious forms, rolling my eyes. "And everyone was worried about me and Percy working together," I mumbled sarcastically.

Grover snorted weakly, his eyes still wide as he glanced between Percy and Annabeth. I glanced outside again, then pulled myself back, breathing deeply. "Looks like we're good for now. When they wake up, we'll get moving." Grover nodded, gulping slightly as though he daren't question me after I knocked out Percy and Annabeth. I sighed heavily, leaning back and taking a deep breath.

Now that I had stopped moving, my mind seemed to catch up with me. I was in the Underworld again. One slight hiccup in anything we did for now on would bring me in front of Lord Hades, a god who hadn't been best pleased last time we met. I remembered being brought down here almost two years ago, and the frequent trips I had been forced to take to the Fields of Punishment. And trust me, whatever punishment they were giving the dead, it seemed to be ten times more painful for the living.

It took about ten minutes for Percy and Annabeth to come around, and by that point, I was being to get claustrophobic. I couldn't sit still, my hands kept shaking at my sides and every time I peered outside, my breath caught in my throat and I had to close my eyes for a few moments before I threw up.

Percy came to first, groaning and rubbing his arm where I'd prodded him irritably. "What'd you have to do that for?" he snapped groggily.

"You were going to get us caught," I replied simply. "Get yourself together, we can't stay here any longer. They'll find us soon." He grumbled something I couldn't make out, but clambered to his feet and took a few deep breaths as Grover helped Annabeth come to.

The moment we stepped outside of the cave, we picked a direction and kept moving. None of us were entirely sure where we were going or where to start looking, but no one voiced that particular problem. I wasn't sure whether Percy was planning to storm Hades's palace and demand to have it back, but I was getting increasingly worried about our prospects of returning to the world of the living.

We'd been moving for about fifteen minutes when Grover staggered in his steps. Percy caught his arm and hauled him back to his fake feet, frowning in concern.

"You okay?" he asked. Grover's eyebrows pulled together, but he nodded slowly. Percy continued to frown, but he let go off Grover's arm and shoved his hands in his pockets. I pursed my lips tightly and Annabeth was watching him curiously, as though she was trying to figure out the logic behind something that had absolutely none. We continued to walk, but within half a minute, Grover staggered again. Percy caught him and tried to haul him back to his feet, but he couldn't.

"Grover," Annabeth warned, as Grover's shoes suddenly sprang into action. The wings on the sides beat against Percy's grip hard and Grover's arm slipped from his hands.

"Guys!" Grover exclaimed worriedly, trying to get back on his feet. But the shoes weren't going down without a fight. They fought harder and Grover slipped, landing flat on his back. Before any of us could move, they fluttered angrily, pulling a yelling Grover down the rocky path.

"Grover!" Percy and Annabeth exclaimed. My face set and the three of us bolted after him as fast as we could, our feet thudding far too loudly on the damp stone floor.

But the closer we got to Grover, the harder the wings fought. Grover yelled louder, but none of us could quite reach him. I could hear Percy and Annabeth panting beside me as we tried to reach the satyr, but just as Percy's hand stretched out ahead of him, Grover was pulled around a corner.

"Percy, give me your hand," I instructed as I ran, a sudden idea flashing through my mind.

"What?" he yelled.

"Just do it!" He groaned loudly, but took my hand tightly. Pursing my lips, I focused as much energy as I could and felt my stomach tug sharply. Suddenly, the wind whipped furiously behind us and Percy and I lurched forward. He yelped beside me, holding on tighter, but the two of us reached out and just about managed to clamp a hand around an arm each. My stomach relaxed as the wind suddenly stopped, and Percy and me dug our heels into the floor as hard as we could. My soles heated almost immediately, but our speed decreased tenfold.

"Grover, kick the shoes off!" Percy instructed.

He whimpered, his legs kicking out. "I can't!"

"Try!"

"I am trying!" he insisted.

"Then try harder!" I complained, trying to pull back. He let out a bleat as he kicked his right leg against the wall, the shoe flying off. I watched it in horror as it flew down the path and dipped into the chasm at the end. My eyes widened and my jaw dropped as Percy cursed loudly. "GROVER!"

"I SEE IT!" he yelled back, kicking at the other shoe. I pulled back, straining so hard, I couldn't feel my legs. I could see the chasm closing in on us and knew that if Grover didn't get the shoe off in the next minute...

With a yell of triumph, Grover kicked the shoe off his foot. It flew after its other as Grover came to a sudden halt. I felt myself stagger forward and over the satyr, crashing to the ground and rolling down a small slope.

"ACACIA!" Annabeth screamed. My back slammed into the ground and came to a halt. I groaned, lifting a hand to my forehead.

"Never do that again," Percy muttered at Grover.

"Yeah, because I planned it," he frowned back, pushing himself to his feet and grimacing. I let my head rest against the ground, my eyes closing. Grover let out a nervous bleat. "Erm, Acacia? Maybe you should move. You know, this way a bit."

"What?" I murmured, opening my eyes. As I turned to look to my right, I let out a yelp and pushed myself toward Grover, rolling onto my front. I had been lay right on the edge of the chasm. "Thanks Grover," I breathed, chest heaving and eyes wide.

"Guys, can we go?" Annabeth whimpered, her eyes huge and bottom lip quivering. I raised my eyebrows, but I was as anxious to be out of here as she was. Something just wasn't right. I leapt to my feet, nodding.

"Hang on," Percy frowned, stepping forward and stopping beside me.

"No, Percy, we need to go now," Annabeth insisted, close to tears. I wasn't sure why but it couldn't be good. He waved a dismissive hand at her, tilting his head to the side.

"Can you hear that?" he asked cautiously. I frowned at him, but strained myself to hear whatever he was talking about.

"Guys," Annabeth whined, shaking on the spot. But I could hear it now. It was almost a whisper and it seemed to be chanting something.

"Is that... Ancient Greek?" Percy muttered.

"No," I answered instantly. "That's not Ancient Greek. Can you make out anything it's saying?"

"Well no, but it sounds kinda like Ancient Greek," Percy shrugged.

"It's almost..." I paused, trying to find the word.

"Older?" Annabeth guessed from behind us.

"Yeah-" I started, turning to her. I cut off quickly. She had lost all colour in her face and when her eyes locked with mine, my stomach turned in panic. As if it could sense this, the whisper became slightly louder and more insistent. "Percy."

"Um?" he asked, stepping backward with a worried look on his face.

"You trust me, right?" I asked carefully.

"No, Acacia, no impulsive stuff," Annabeth choked, silent tears streaming down her face as she shook her head furiously. "You can't beat it."

"What did you think I was going to do? Jump?" I sighed, taking hold of Percy's hand. He burned red immediately, but I didn't have the time. "Grover, take Annabeth's hand."

"What? Why?" he asked.

"Just trust me!" I pleaded. The whisper was suddenly a voice, echoing around the cold, dark room. I suddenly realised I had been here before. "Oh, no. Grover!" He reached out a took Annabeth's hand and I spun around. My hand tightened around Percy's as I caught Annabeth's free hand in my other. The wind stirred behind us.

"Acacia, this is just going to slow yo-"

"Just run already!" I snapped. I bolted forward, dragging them with me just like I had Percy, only now, it was triple the work and we were met with furious resistance. They staggered behind me, but the fact they were still running helped a little. The voice became a shout, furious and demanding. But it cut off abruptly and, as though it was inhaling, the wind in front of us began pushing us back. I slowed dramatically, the wind no longer helping me. Whatever was in the pit was using the wind to help it and it was far stronger than I was.

I just prayed I was strong enough to make it back to safety.


	28. Chapter TwentySeven: The Return To Hell

The four of us strained as hard as we could, but the wind kept dragging us back. We were getting further and further away from the end of the path. My face set and I urged the wind behind me again. Suddenly, my gut twisted painfully as the wind lessened. I staggered slightly, stomach clenched in agony. Percy, Annabeth and Grover were moving forward, but I was too concentrated on the wind. Annabeth caught on quickly, her face pale and worried.

"Guys, she can't do both!" she insisted, tightening a hand around my arm and pulling me forward. Grover did the same on my other arm, as Percy pushed my back forward.

"What do you mean both?" Percy exclaimed, confused. Annabeth didn't answer, her face set. We were just a few metres from the end and my gut couldn't feel anymore numb. With that thought in mind, I pushed myself harder and the wind pushed against us. We stumbled forward and around the corner.

I went limp, collapsing to the floor and gasping for breath. Annabeth and Grover let go off my arms and I knelt up, tightening my arms around my stomach. My lips pursed tightly as my eyes burned with pained tears. Gods, I thought my gut couldn't feel any worse. Apparently, I was wrong.

"Acacia?" Percy said slowly.

"One second," I choked in a hoarse whisper, folding my body as close as humanly possible.

"What's wrong with her?" he asked.

"She just fought the wrong thing too hard," Annabeth gulped, still crying.

"The wrong thing? What thing? You mean whatever was in that pit?" Annabeth nodded, tears streaming even faster. "And what do you mean, fight it?"

"It was using the wind to pull us over the edge right?" Annabeth mumbled. Percy nodded, frowning as he tried to keep up. "Well Acacia was trying to control the wind, like she usually can. That's how she ran so fast to catch up to Grover just then. She was fighting against its pull. Any longer and it could have killed her." There was an awkward silence, in which Percy's hand tightened around my shoulder. I took a deep breath, my stomach burning. Slowly, I staggered to my feet, wincing loudly.

"Hey, don't rush," Grover said softly.

"If you hadn't noticed," I grimaced. "A war is about to start. We haven't got much time."

"Acacia, you could have killed yourself!" Annabeth whimpered, her eyes shining. "You can't rush into anything. Do you have any idea-"

"Yes, Annabeth, I do have an idea. Unless you've not noticed, it's my gut that feels like it's trying to haul itself out of my stomach. Now I don't know about you, but I'm going to get my father's bolt back."

I straightened out, flinching but starting down the corridor. Annabeth, Percy and Grover hurried after me, all giving me concerned looks every now and then. But I was the least of their worries. As we closed in on Hades's palace, I couldn't help but wonder what might happen if we figured out he hadn't got it. We needed to get back to New York by nightfall or we really would be fighting a war. And it would be against half of our family. I glanced across at Percy, gulping.

"What?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

"What if we're wrong?" I asked in a small voice. "If we don't get the Master Bolt now, there's no time to check anywhere else. Our fathers will be at war. I don't know if..." I trailed off, gulping again. "Percy, I know you and your father didn't take the bolt, but-"

"You'll fight for your father, I know," he said grimly. I fell silent, unable to look anyone in the eye. Percy and I had been through so much. We had saved each other's lives, more than once. How could I stand against him in a war? The answer was simple. My father had saved Thalia from the Underworld, something that mattered much more to me than my life. He had shown me he did care for us, whether it was easy to see or not. I owed him too much. Oh, and the fact he was my father.

We walked straight down toward Hades's palace. Well, I say we walked. The others did. I sort of hobbled, trying not to move my stomach too much. Percy stayed by my side, as faithful as ever. Every time I staggered or stumbled, he caught my arm and steadied me again, even after I told him that I couldn't turn my back on my father for him. Part of me wished that he would leave me alone, hate me even. That way, I wouldn't feel so bad for sticking by my father. I had always tried to stand by my family, but this was something else. Percy, and Poseidon for that matter, had done nothing wrong. And both of them were two of the nicer members of my family. So how could I fight against them?

The worry only made my stomach worse, making me stagger and stumble more. Maybe Annabeth and Percy noticed. They inched closer to me, straightening out protectively. I gulped and took a deep breath. If there was one thing I was sure about, it was that we had to find that bolt. I couldn't go against Percy. I just couldn't do it. Straightening out, I moved faster, leading the way into Persephone's Garden.

It looked so out of place here, with the green grass and the rose bushes. Of course, in the centre of the garden, a pomegranate tree grew. Each of us faltered, but I shook myself, pressing on. I wanted so much to stay in Persephone's garden and never take a step inside Hades's palace. But I knew we had to. We had to get the bolt.

"Come on," I urged, face set as I headed for the door.

"Acacia, would you try and take it a little easier?" Annabeth pleaded.

"We are going to get that bolt Annabeth," I frowned. "I can't... there's no way that I..." Percy frowned, his jaw locking and hand tightening around the backpack. His face fell into a confused expression for a moment, shifting the backpack. "What's up?"

"I guess I've just been carrying it awhile," he shrugged.

"What?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Hey, didn't you get rid of that bag at the Lotus Hotel?" Grover asked absent-mindedly. Annabeth and I stared at him for a moment, then glanced at Percy, blinking. He frowned, casting his mind back.

"Erm, yeah actually, I did," he muttered.

"That's the bag that Ares's gave you," I said bluntly.

"Acacia," Annabeth warned, as though the god was stood right behind me. "You already have one god out to kill you. You can't go accusing another without proof."

I hesitated. "Hand me the bag," I said. Percy blinked. "Percy, just hand it over. It isn't like I'm going to do anything drastic, I promise." Frowning slightly, he pulled the bag off his shoulder and held it out to me. I paused, then stepped forward and tightened my hand around the strap. There was a moment where nothing happened. Then Grover suddenly started.

"What's that smell?" he asked cautiously, sniffing the air. "It's like..." I breathed deeply. My eyes opened wide, my lips pursing tightly. Slowly, I pulled the bag closer toward me. Annabeth gasped; Percy leapt back, scowling.

"What's that?" he demanded.

I pursed my lips tightly, unzipping the bag. "Oh for the love of the gods," I breathed.

"What?" Percy demanded. Carefully, I slipped my hand into the bag. Slowly, I pulled it back out. Percy's eyes couldn't have been wider. In my hands, my father's Master Bolt cracked with the smell of ozone.

"Perfect!" I almost leapt out of my skin, the Master Bolt cracking more dangerously as it reacted to my nerves. Lord Hades, the ruler of the Underworld, smirked down at me. "That bolt always did work better with one of my brother's lovely children."

The bolt was almost ripped from my hands as the four of us were restrained and hauled into Hades's throne room. Of course, everything was black and depressing. Monsters lined the edge of the room, jeering and snarling as we were dragged to the centre. Hades moved for his throne, a seat made entirely of human bone. Beside him, there was an empty, flowery throne. I found myself wishing Persephone was here. After all, not only was she my half-sister, she was said to improve the Lord of the Dead's moods. But at Hades's feet, encased in a bright, golden glow, was Mrs Jackson. Percy struggled immediately and Hades's snorted, smirking.

"Struggling will not help, Perseus Jackson. It will only get you killed faster." Hades had long, black hair and incredibly pale skin. His eyes were dark and depressing, in keeping with his surroundings. His clothes seemed to be covered in human faces, all scared and trying to get away.

My jaw set and my eyes narrowed as he turned to me. He snorted again. "So angry, young half-blood? Still bear a grudge against me for kidnapping you? It wasn't anything personal, merely a trap to try and take your sister."

"Want me to thank you?" I scowled. "I'd have rather you lied and said it was personal." Hades laughed cruelly.

"Ah yes, you're the self-sacrificing one!" he laughed. "I'd almost forgotten. Didn't happen to run into Mummy on the way in, did you?" I froze on the spot, my face falling. Percy, Annabeth and Grover immediately closed in on me, trying to separate me from the god before he succeeded in goading me into a fight. Hades just smirked at us.

"Why are you doing this?" Annabeth frowned. "It's causing a war!"

"Poseidon's mad at Zeus for blaming him, Zeus is mad at Poseidon for stealing it," Hades shrugged. "They'll attack each other first. They weaken each other, makes my job easier."

"And here was me thinking there was enough dead down here," Percy scowled.

"But that's what you want, right?" I snarled. "The more people that die, the higher your numbers get."

Hades's eyes flashed with anger. "You think I want more down here?" he boomed furiously. "Huh! And why shouldn't I be annoyed? One of you brats has my helm! I want it back!"

All four of us stopped struggling, face falling in shock. "Your... your helm?" Grover questioned, letting out a nervous bleat.

"That is what I said, satyr," Hades spat. "Hand it over and I may let Sally Jackson live." Percy struggled again, face set.

"We don't have your helm," I said.

"Don't play with me Acacia Grace!" Hades warned. "Hand me my helm!"

"We don't have it, I can promise you," I scowled. "I didn't even know we had the bolt! You think I'd be here if I did?"

"You will never get out of here alive, half-blood," Hades spat. "Not with the helm, or the bolt. Gave in and I might even make it quick."

"We haven't got it," I snarled through my teeth. Hades's eyes flashed and his fists clenched. Before I could change my mind, I ripped myself out of the monster's hold and kicked them back, drawing one sword. Percy and Annabeth mimicked me instantly, backing up into me.

"Bravery will not save you now," Hades snorted. I fished into my pocket, pulling out the pearl Percy had given me. Hades let out a short laugh. "Poseidon's little tricks? Let me guess, he only gave you four?" With another short laugh, he clicked his fingers. Mrs Jackson suddenly gasped and fell to her knees.

"Mum!" Percy exclaimed, leaping forward. Annabeth and I restrained him quickly, both of us staring across at Mrs Jackson in worry.

"Come on, young Acacia Grace," Hades smirked. "Can you save them all? Risk everything again?" My chest was heaving as my mind raced. I could tell Annabeth was trying to follow my line of thought, my very impulsive line of thought. There was a small chance... a very small chance. Around the Master Bolt, I had more strength. I was stronger, even more powerful. I remembered what Apollo had told me, remembered that he had said we were stronger than he remembered.

Slowly, I lowered my sword and let Percy go. He struggled, but Grover took my place beside him as I started forward, dropping my sword to the floor. Hades scoffed, watching me with an amused expression. My steps echoed loudly around the room as I got closer and closer to Mrs Jackson. She glanced up and met my gaze, silently urging me to turn back to her son. I pursed my lips tightly, gulping. I didn't hesitate before I knelt down to Mrs Jackson and took her by the elbows, pulling her to her knees.

"Please," she pleaded, her eyes glistening with saddened. "Please don't. Leave me here, I-"

"Mrs Jackson, I will not leave you here," I whispered, so quiet she could hardly hear me.

She let out a small whimper, shaking her head furiously as a tear slid down her cheek. "No, you can't! Percy needs you, he-"

"I do not intend to stay here Mrs Jackson," I cut her off, grimacing. Her eyes widened in worry and fright, stunned. I almost smiled. "I got out once, I'll do it again. Take this." I slipped the pearl into her hand, pushing it into her palm.

"No-"

"Yes," I said firmly. Her eyes widened at my firm tone and I was all too aware it was easy to see I was the daughter of the ruler of Olympus. "Please, you have to trust me." She just blinked. "Can you stand?"

"Erm, yes, I think so," she muttered.

I nodded, helping her to her feet. "Walk to Percy," I muttered. "Follow his instructions. Don't hesitate and don't try and help me. Understand?"

"But-"

"Mrs Jackson, please," I urged. "I know what I'm doing." She blinked and before I could move, she wrapped me tightly in a hug, her tears soaking my shoulders. I gulped as she let go and moved for Percy slowly.

Hades laughed loudly, clapping his hands together in amusement. "Of course! So, decided to stay, young Acacia?" he sneered. "I thought you'd have learnt after the last time."

I turned to him, my face straight as I took a deep breath. "I am not staying," I said confidently, taking a deep breath. Hades's smirk faltered slightly. "You will get your helm back."

"You are not going anywhere Acacia Grace," he snarled.

"Percy!" I called.

"STOP THEM!" Hades yelled. There were four smashes and before I knew it, the four were gone. "YOU-"

The temperature dropped drastically and the wind stirred around me, harsher than I had ever managed before. My hair swirled around my face and I felt my gut clench tightly. My stomach was burning again, a roaring pain I hadn't counted on, but with a sharp tug, the wind caught the Master Bolt.

"NO!" Hades yelled, jumping to his feet.

It flew across the room, cracking every time it came close to monster. Each burst into a cloud of yellow dust. I felt my entire body fill with such energy, it terrified me. The Master Bolt slipped into my hand and at that point, I swore to myself that whenever I got it back to my father, there was no way I was ever touching it again. The sheer power... the thought made me shudder.

"ACACIA!" The many voices that were suddenly yelling my name shocked me. I spun around, the Master Bolt calming in my palm for a second. My eyes widened as the wind picked up its pace.

At the very back of the room, I could see an image of a throne room, the same throne room I had seen in my dreams days ago. And when I thought the gods were watching me, I never thought it would be quite this closely.

Athena had one eyebrow raised, her arms folded. Ares was smirking, his eyes fixed on the Master Bolt in my hand. Hermes was gawping slightly and behind him, Hera blinked blankly, as though she had just forgotten everything. Artemis had her lips pursed tightly, her eyes sparkling with hope. Beside her, Apollo stood with his jaw hanging and a pale face. Next to them, Poseidon watched cautiously, his face unreadable. The only face that had any effect on me what so ever was my father's. Zeus seemed half way between anger and worry. I knew as well as he did that if I tried to control the Master Bolt, I would probably kill myself. But he also knew I had no choice.

"NO! GET HER!" Hades shouted furiously. I didn't move for a second, eyes fixed to my father's. He nodded ever so slightly, barely enough for me to notice. I had a scary suspicion I knew what that meant. The Master Bolt sizzled and cracked loudly. The monsters stumbled to a halt, eyes wide and terrified. In the image of the gods, Zeus's face was set and determined. Hades didn't miss it. "YOU! INTERFERENCE!"

"Not at all, brother," Zeus said flatly. "I am merely making sure my own property is returned."

The Master Bolt struck.

I felt like I was being electrocuted and burned from the inside out all at once. Every inch of my skin was on fire, as though it was being stripped from my bones. My heart raced and thumped loudly in my ears, my head rattling. I could feel the power of the bolt radiating through my entire body and it scared and thrilled me all at once. And I hated it. There was a flash of light and a thunderous crack. The next thing I knew, my knees buckled and I hit the ground.


	29. Chapter TwentyEight: Battling A God

I was on a beach, smoke rising from my skin. The Master Bolt seemed stuck to my hand as I stayed on all fours, eyes closed and weak. Demigods weren't supposed to use things this powerful. I could hardly fell any of my limbs and all I wanted to do was curl up in a ball and go to sleep.

"ACACIA!" Weakly, I lifted my head and opened my eyes. Percy, Annabeth, Grover and Mrs Jackson ran toward me, worried and scared. Annabeth and Mrs Jackson collapsed to their knees beside me, supporting me carefully. Both winced and retracted their hands. My skin was too hot. Percy and Grover stood over us, frowning in concern.

"Well, well," a smug voice came. "You figured it out, huh punk?" Gulping, I pushed myself to my knees. Ares smirked down at me, his eyes flicking from me to Percy. A baseball bat was propped on his shoulder. Annabeth and Mrs Jackson immediately shuffled closer. Percy's eyes narrowed and Grover took a step back.

"You set us up," Percy snarled at him.

Ares snorted, shrugging. "Nothing personal, punk," he sighed. "You just got in the way."

"You stole the helm and the Master Bolt," Percy scowled.

"Well, not personally," Ares scoffed, shaking his head. "Gods stealing each other's symbol of power, that's a big no-no. Like I said, half-bloods get in the way sometimes." Percy's jaw locked and Mrs Jackson shuddered beside me. Apparently, she didn't like the idea of Percy going up against a god. I mumbled a prayer to my father, hoping with every feeble fibre in my body that Hera didn't show up now. Thunder rumbled in the sky, as though he had heard and agreed completely. Annabeth and Grover sent me a funny look, but I shook my head, breathing deeply and trying to keep myself awake.

"Why would you want war amongst your family?" Annabeth breathed, eyes wide. Ares sighed, as though he thought he shouldn't have to explain this.

"It's the best kind of war, a family war. Always the bloodiest. Only, you had to go and spoil it. You were supposed to die down there. Then Poseidon would have been mad at Hades for killing the punk, Zeus would have been mad at him for stealing the bolt and killing little Acacia there and even Athena would have been mad because of blondie. And then of course Hades would be mad because of his missing helm." He pulled a ski cap out of his pocket and, before our very eyes, it transformed into an elaborate bronze war helmet.

"You gave me the backpack in Denver," Percy reminded him. "It's been there the whole time."

"Yes," Ares nodded. "And no. The backpack is the bolt's sheath, just morphed a bit. It's designed to always return to it. Kind of like the sword in your pocket. I tampered with the magic a bit, so the bolt would only return to the backpack when you got close to Hades. Simple."

"Why did you send the bolt to the underworld?" Percy asked. "Why not keep it for yourself?" Ares's jaw twitched, and he stared into space for a second. I blinked, still trying to catch my breath. "It wasn't your idea, was it?"

"Of course it was," Ares snapped, smoke drifting from his glasses.

"No it wasn't," Percy shook his head. "Someone sent a demigod to steal the bolt and when Zeus sent you to find them, you did. Only, you didn't turn them over. You took the bolt from them and kept it until another hero came to complete the delivery. That thing in the pit is ordering you around."

My panic showed. In an instant, the Master Bolt cracked loudly and the wind stirred around me, pushing myself back before the lightning could hurt any of the others. Annabeth shrieked in surprise and Mrs Jackson immediately tried to hurry back to my side, but Grover kept her in place as I slumped to my hands and knees in the sand, breathing hard. Ares . . . was taking orders from . . .

"I'm the god of war! I don't take orders from anyone! I don't have dreams!"

Percy hesitated. "Who said anything about dreams?" he asked carefully. Ares didn't say anything, but he clicked his fingers and a wild boar charged out of the sand, eyes fixed to Percy. Mrs Jackson whimpered.

In the same second, I pushed myself back onto my knees, hating the way my head swam painfully. "Grover, the bag," I instructed weakly, snapping my fingers at him. Without hesitating, he flung the backpack at me, and I ripped it open, shoving the Master Bolt inside and peeling my hand away with a wince. Annabeth and Mrs Jackson hurried to my side as I slung the bag over my shoulder, taking one of my arms each and helping me to my feet. They led me up the beach and away from Percy and Ares, slowly and with a feather light touch as though they thought I was about to disintegrate.

As we reached the top of the beach, Mrs Jackson cast a glance back over her shoulder. I followed her gaze to Percy and clamped my lips shut for a second. "He'll be fine," Annabeth assured her, shooting me a pleading look. "He knows how to take care of himself."

Pulling my arm out of her grasp, I jerked my head back toward the scene unfolding in front of us and she barely hesitated. Watching her race toward Percy and Grover, I pulled Mrs Jackson down onto the sand beside me as my knees caved.

"Annabeth's right," I told her. "He saved my life." Her head whipped around so fast, I was surprised it was still attached when she met my gaze. I scoffed before I could stop myself. "Let's just say Percy isn't the only one with a psychotic god on his back."

She gulped, shuddering on the spot. "Who?" she asked, barely whispering. "Why?" I didn't answer her straight away, thinking my answer through carefully as I tested each of my muscles out. None of them seemed to be functioning properly, something I knew was going to be a serious problem down the road. Mrs Jackson scoffed weakly, pursing her lips. "I don't even know who you are."

I smiled again shakily, holding out my hand. "Acacia Grace," I answered. She took my hand, staring at me questioningly. "Daughter of Zeus."

Her eyes widened. "And you're helping Percy?" she asked, stumped.

I chuckled wryly. "My father told me to," I shrugged. "He really wants his bolt back." She nodded, still staring at me with a puzzled look. "You know, when I got to camp, Percy was the only friend I had. Being singled out as the Daughter of Zeus, especially after Thalia . . ."

"Thalia?" she asked.

"My older sister," I mumbled. "She died just on camp's borders five years ago."

"Oh, I'm so sorry," she breathed.

"So am I," I admitted with a heavy sigh. "My point is, Percy was the only one who understood. It isn't any easier for him being the Son of Poseidon. He's more like a brother to me than a cousin. Never once has he ever thought twice before helping me out, and considering Hera's out to get me . . ."

"Hera, Zeus's wife?" Mrs Jackson blurted.

I snorted, nodding. "She doesn't particularly like me very much."

"Is that how . . ."

"Thalia?" I blinked. "No, she didn't kill Thalia. Thalia ran off when I was four. She met a few demigods, one of them being Annabeth Chase over there. Grover was sent to lead them to Camp, but there were too many monsters after them. The hill just outside of Camp was named Half-Blood Hill in her honour. She made her last stand there, protecting Grover, Annabeth and Luke until they got to safety."

"That's horrible," she muttered.

I nodded slowly. "Zeus took pity on her, as she was dying. He turned her into the pine tree that protects the Camp."

Mrs Jackson looked startled. "A pine tree?" she repeated.

"Better than her going to the Underworld. Hades wouldn't be too pleased that she existed in the first place."

"Like you and Percy?" she said, in barely a whisper. I didn't know what to say. "I know all about the oath Zeus, Poseidon and Hades took. Why do you think I protected Percy so much?"

I smiled weakly. "I guess I never thought about it," I admitted.

"Surely your mother protected you?" Mrs Jackson scoffed. Thunder rumbled overhead. My face fell and I suddenly became very interested in my shoes. "Oh. I- I didn't think, I'm so sorry."

"It's okay," I shrugged. "My mother was an alcoholic. She didn't do much for Thalia and me." I felt the need to leave it at that. Not that I didn't trust Mrs Jackson, but it wasn't like I knew her. Okay, so I admitted it to Artemis, but she sent me Sasha. I owe her big time.

"Oh my," Mrs Jackson breathed.

A darkness had suddenly descended over the beach, as though someone had just blocked the sun from view. It was as though a terrifying presence had arrived, making me feel helpless and weak. The temperature dropped well below freezing and instantly they all turned to me, praying that I was doing this as some sort of joke. I just blinked in shock.

Before anyone could make sense of it, the darkness lifted. The sun beat down on us and for a second, I was sure I could see the image of the gods in the corner of my eye again. But when I turned to look, they were gone. Ares stood, stunned. He shook himself, limping forward slightly.

"You have made an enemy, godling," he spat at Percy. Mrs Jackson's hands tightened in worry around my wrist, but I had no idea what to do. There was no way this could seem any less threatening. "Every time you lift your blade for success, you will feel my curse. Beware, Perseus Jackson." His eyes flicked to me for a split second, as though curious. But his body began glowing.

"Don't look!" I hissed at Mrs Jackson. She squeaked and spun around, her eyes tight shut. The light faded again and I turned back to Percy. He had bent down to pick Hades's helm up, just as leathery wings descended.

All three Furies landed in front of him, each carrying a fiery whip. And the only thing that rang in my head was that one of them had tried to destroy my locket. I was right behind them with my swords out before I knew what I was doing, ignoring every inch of my burning muscles. One Furies turned. Tisiphone cackled at me, her eyes flashing. The middle one, the one that seemed to recognise Percy, didn't turn.

"So, it really wasn't you?" she asked him cautiously.

"No," Percy said flatly, tossing the helm to her. She caught it, surprised. My jaw locked. It took so much self-restraint not to kill her for the third time, my sword was actually shaking. But I knew if I killed her, the others would turn and I could still feel my body shaking, preparing to give in in seconds. "Take that back to Hades. Tell him to call of the war."

The three Furies cackled again and took off. Percy's eyes met mine, curious. I lowered my swords, jaw still locked. Shaking my head and shoving both swords back into their sheaths, I turned back toward Annabeth and Grover, who were stood reassuringly beside Mrs Jackson.

"Percy!" she whimpered, throwing her arms around him tightly. He burned red, but hugged her back just as hard. I smiled, suddenly feeling everything catch up to me. I hadn't slept properly in so long.

"That was amazing," Grover breathed, patting Percy's back.

"We need to get to New York," he replied, breathing deeply.

"Defiantly," I agreed, stumbling forward with a wince and shoving the backpack at him. "I'm _not_ touching that thing again," I added sharply. "Ever." They raised their eyebrows, but Annabeth smiled in understanding, nodding her agreement.

"So how we get to New York by tonight?" Grover asked.

"It's impossible," Annabeth dismissed. "Unless we-"

"Fly," Percy and I breathed. I bit my lip as Mrs Jackson's eyes went wider.

She shook her head furiously. "No way," she said. "I am not letting you get on a plane."

"Zeus would strike you down!" Annabeth breathed. "It's insane!"

Percy glanced at me and I gulped. "They're right," I nodded. "But so are you. The only way to get to New York on time is to fly."

"Acacia can take it," Grover said. "She's allowed in the sky."

"Chiron said I had to hand it over," Percy muttered sourly. "Something about an apology."

"Percy, the Master Bolt is more destructive than a nuclear bomb," Annabeth persisted. "If Zeus strikes that out of the sky-"

"He wouldn't," I frowned. "Not his own bolt."

"How do you know?" she breathed. "This isn't something to be impulsive about!"

"What is?" I asked with a snort. "Annabeth, Zeus would never let anyone use his bolt, not even his children."

"He let you," Grover frowned.

"That's my point! It was the only way to get it out of Hades's reach! He wants it back that badly, he let me use it. He wouldn't strike it from the sky."

"You can't be sure," Annabeth muttered.

"I know," I nodded. "And I don't ask people to do something I'm not willing to." Percy's eyes widened and he pulled himself from his mother's reach, shaking his head at me.

"No," he said sternly.

"Hey, you don't have a choice," I frowned. "Annabeth, Grover, you need to get back to Camp and tell Chiron what's happening. Oh, and see if Sasha's there. Make sure she's not attacking anyone."

"Sasha?" Mrs Jackson asked.

"Her psychotic pet wolf," Percy muttered.

"She is not psychotic!" I protested. "She was a gift from the goddess Artemis, of course she doesn't like boys!" Percy smirked slightly, shrugging. "Back to the point. We need to get going."

"I-" Mrs Jackson started.

"Defiantly not," Percy scowled. "Mum, you're not getting on that plane. Go with Annabeth and Grover. Go home, I'll be there soon." Mrs Jackson's eyes watered, but she nodded and hugged her son tightly again.

"I'm so proud of you," she muttered. Again, Percy was bright red. He nodded and pulled himself away again, starting down the beach. I followed him weakly, smiling.

"Don't even say it," he warned with a scowl.

"What? I think it's sweet how much she cares about you. I've never seen it before, that's all."

He paused, glancing down awkwardly. "I thought you were adopted," he said.

"Mary?" I asked. "She, erm, she doesn't exactly show her feelings like that. She's a hard person to read." Percy nodded, but said nothing as we walked. I suddenly felt anxious to get back to Scotland. I wanted to see Mary and Felicity again, wanted something that was normal. I wondered if it would last, if I could go back at all.


	30. Chapter TwentyNine: Mount Olympus

"Gods, have I ever told you how much I hate flying?" Percy gulped, pressing back into his seat.

"Once or twice," I sighed, pushing my own seat as far back as it would go and closing my eyes. "Maybe three times. Possibly four. Fifteen tops."

"I get the idea," he muttered sourly. "How can you relax like that?"

I shrugged. "Always been better in the air. Ever fancied parachuting?"

"Not really," he groaned, sitting back. I chuckled, fidgeting to make myself more comfortable. Percy's hands tightened around the seat's arm rests and didn't loosen the entire journey. Of course, there was a reasonable amount of turbulence. The look on Percy's face amused me slightly, and I began wondering if I could make the wind ever so slightly stronger. The plane jerked harder than usual and he actually threw up. I pursed my lips guiltily, closing my eyes again and letting the wind go.

We landed a whole half an hour earlier than we were supposed to. Percy almost ran off the plane, forgetting that the Master Bolt was still in the storage compartment. I groaned, rolling my eyes and taking the backpack myself. I found him stood beside a small stand in the airport and hurried him outside before he could get anymore freaked out.

Percy called a taxi and the two of us climbed in. Before long, we were speeding toward the Empire State Building. Percy fell asleep on the way there, but as tired and sore as I was, I couldn't bring myself to do the same. I supposed part of me was so used to waiting for the next disaster that I couldn't help but watch out of the window, as though Hera was suddenly going to attack me, or a different god would spring a test on me. As far as I knew, I'd passed four out of the twelve. Sasha was Artemis's test, Medusa's garden had been Demeter's, Ares had sent a dead Roman warrior after me and Hephaestus had praised my resourcefulness. That was it. Still another eight to go. I wondered if I was allowed a break.

Within half an hour, we were striding into the lobby at the Empire State Building. And I'll admit, we got weird looks. My skin was still bright red and burned from the travel using the Master Bolt and both our clothes were tatty and dirty. Percy strode right up to the man behind the desk.

"Sixth hundredth floor," he said simply.

The man stared over the top of his book, frowning slightly. "There ain't a sixth hundredth floor kid. Beat it." I scowled, but kept quiet and let Percy do the talking.

"Yes there is," he insisted. "I need to see Zeus."

The man smiled. "Sorry?" he asked, as though he'd never heard of such a person.

I groaned. "Look," I sighed, unzipping the backpack and holding it for him to see. He stared, confused. His eyes suddenly flashed with recognition and he paled.

"No," he breathed, stunned. I dipped my hand into the bag, snorting. "No! No! Here you go, don't get it out. Are you crazy?"

"Probably," I admitted with another sigh. Percy took the card off the guard, frowning.

"Put it into the slot. Make sure no one is in the elevator with you." We nodded and hurried across the lobby. Luckily, the elevator was empty when we reached it and we slipped inside, shoving the card into the slot before someone else jumped in. An extra button appeared, reading 600. I shrugged and Percy pressed it, his face set.

I want to say that Mount Olympus was spectacular. That a floating mountain peak above New York amazed me and that the many different coloured stalls of the market and the numerous palaces were beautiful and stunning. But I couldn't muster the enthusiasm Percy could. I'd already seen the place. Sure, it was in a dream, but I was tired enough that I felt I could be asleep now.

I led a dazed Percy down the concentrate path toward the staircase that disappeared up into the clouds. We skipped up them hurriedly and as we reached the top, I handed Percy back the backpack with a meaningful look. He frowned, but nodded at me. As we walked through, people stopped and turned. I watched the nine muses tune their instruments and tried to ignore the stares I got from a bunch of teenagers hanging around. I assumed they were minor gods and goddesses, but they seemed to pay just as much attention to me as the Olympian gods did. It gave me the same unsettling feeling I didn't like.

We headed straight for the big palace at the very top. Neither of us said a word and my stomach twisted nervously as I began to recognise the gods. We walked past an irritated Hermes, who didn't even turn. He hissed down his phone, scowling into thin air. We passed a bored looking Demeter, who sat beside another goddess I didn't recognised. Until I looked closer. I supposed it was Persephone, visiting her mother while she didn't have to stay in the Underworld. Athena frowned at us as we passed her, but she said nothing. She gave me that look, as though trying to work out if I was any good at all. For a second, I was relieved when we got to the palace. Then we walked in.

The throne room was just like I had seen it in my dream. Twelve grand thrones, arranged in an inverted U shape. The ceiling displayed every constellation known and a fire roared in the hearth. The place was empty, apart from two gods.

Poseidon's eyes were instantly on his son as we walked in. He sat on a throne that looked like a fisherman's chair, though instead of holding a fishing rod, it held his trident. Zeus sat on a simple throne of solid platinum and I couldn't help but wonder if that was even comfortable.

"Father," I managed to croak. "Lord Poseidon."

"You managed to retrieve my bolt?" Zeus asked shortly, his eyes on Percy. I pursed my lips, nudging Percy forward. He opened the backpack and refrained from wincing as he pulled out the Master Bolt. It cracked in Zeus's presence and as Percy placed it at my father's feet, the air was suddenly filled with the smell of ozone. Zeus snorted, staring down at it.

"We heard what Ares has done," Poseidon admitted with a sigh. "It is not like him to do such a thing." I knew Poseidon knew Ares hadn't been acting alone. He looked uncomfortable, but as though he had been expecting it too. Zeus's expression was unreadable.

"You thought you could fly, boy?" he scowled. Percy paled slightly, but Poseidon groaned quietly.

"Was it, or was it not the only way to get your bolt back to you, brother?" he questioned. Zeus snorted again, eyes narrowed. "You would have struck down your bolt? Your daughter?" I didn't meet either of their gazes as they turned on me. My stomach couldn't have felt queasier.

"Do not expect to fly again, Perseus Jackson," Zeus grumbled. "Though, I suppose you have done well. Because of that, I will not kill you today. As for you Acacia, if you wish to return to Mary Cunningham in Scotland, you may do so until next summer." He stood up, opening his palm out. The Master Bolt leapt into his hand, cracking dangerously. His eyes never left me. "You will not be tested and Hera will not hunt you down."

"Thank you," I muttered again. Zeus pursed his lips, staring down at me thoughtfully. But whatever he was going to say was interrupted with a loud bang. Instinctively, Percy and I both whirled around as the throne room doors literally bounced off the walls as someone, or rather something, burst in.

The creature was amazing. It's coat was pure white, not a speck of dirt on it. If anything, it was that white, it seemed to glow silver. In its presence, everything else suddenly looked dull and dirty. It's mane and tail looked like threads of silver, not in the slightest bit ruffled by the creature's sudden movements. The pegasus gave an indignant whine, spanning it's gorgeous wings and cantered in a tight circle nervously. It skidded to a halt. Eyes on me.

_Lady Acacia,_ a male voice rang in my head. Percy choked, Poseidon almost leapt out of his throne and I was on the brink of heart failure. Not only was this the second animal to talk inside my head, it was a pegasus. As in, associated with Poseidon. They didn't mind me so much, since I liked taking them out for a flight, but they weren't exactly my biggest fans.

"Pegasus," Poseidon started.

"What is going on?" Zeus demanded. Apparently, he was the only one that couldn't hear what the pegasus was saying. It still hadn't even acknowledged Poseidon or Percy, which I gathered must have been incredibly disrespectful.

_Lady Acacia, there is no time to explain,_ it said sternly. _Your Camp is in danger. You must help. One of my brethren is outside ready to take Lord Perseus, but you must come with me._

"Pegasus, explain yourself," Poseidon frowned sternly. The pegasus shifted nervously and his head tilted, as though he was going to address the god. But he shook himself, cantering toward me and nudging me abruptly.

_Please Lady Acacia, _the pegasus said. _There isn't much time! The half-bloods!_ He knelt beside me, placing his wing carefully to the side and waiting for me to get on. I blinked, stunned.

"Pegasus," Poseidon said through his teeth, getting increasingly impatient. Percy just gawped, glancing from the pegasus to his father in an amazed silence.

_Lady Acacia,_ the pegasus persisted. I stared. There was a pegasus, taking me to Camp because-

I snapped out of it. Camp. Half-bloods. Before I could think twice, I bolted forward, almost leaping onto the pegasus's back. He straightened, galloping for the door.

"PEGASUS!" Poseidon yelled angrily.

"ACACIA!" Zeus bellowed furiously. I flinched as the pegasus skidded around the corner, racing for the edge of the mountain.

The gods were still wandering the courtyard. At the sound of Poseidon and Zeus's yells, Hermes, Athena and Demeter all turned, stunned. Demeter's jaw dropped, Athena's eyes couldn't have gotten any wider and Hermes actually dropped his phone. But the pegasus paid them no attention, weaving through the gate and down the path Percy and I had walked up.

"When Poseidon said pegasus," I started slowly.

_I am Pegasus,_ he said. _Sired by Lord Poseidon and foaled by the Gorgon Medusa._

I gulped. "Lovely," I mumbled. "Oh, no offence."

_None taken Lady Acacia,_ Pegasus replied. As he cantered down the path, everyone turned to stare. The nine muses broke off mid-song and all the good-looking teenagers gawped at me. I tried to forget they were there, but it wasn't easy. Focus, I told myself. Camp.

"What's actually wrong?" I asked, not sure I really wanted to know the answer.

_I'm not sure,_ Pegasus answered honestly. _Only that the campers are in danger and you must help them._

"Why specifically me?" I questioned, confused. "I thought Percy-"

_Although Lord Perseus is my half-brother Lady Acacia, I would not neglect my duty to place him before you._

"Do I want to know what your duty is?" I gulped.

_Not really,_ he sighed. I left it after that. If he didn't think I needed to know, I didn't. Simple really. _You may want to hold on Lady Acacia._

Before I even had time to ask why, Pegasus leapt off the end of the path, bolting headfirst for the pavements of New York in a terrifying free-fall.


	31. Chapter Thirty: Civil War

My heart leapt into my throat, beating hard and fast. My stomach turned, as though I was going to heave. I felt like my skin was slowly being peeled from my face. My body started slipping from Pegasus's back, but I clamped my arms around his neck, my legs pressing against his sides as hard as humanly possible. The pavement was closing in on us fast, like we were in a race, only I wasn't so keen to reach the finishing line. Pegasus didn't seem bothered by that fact, or that there were around a hundred mortals to witness this. I held my breath, waiting for the impact.

Pegasus jerked into a parallel line with the road, spanning his wings impressively and beating them once. The second we were out of free fall, I was overcome with a sudden rush of adrenaline and a need to do it again. Making a mental note to sneak one of the pegasi at the Camp out, I set my attention back on the matter at hand.

_It will not take long for us to get there,_ Pegasus assured me, beating his wings again and soaring through the sky with a graceful ease. _You must prepare yourself though Lady Acacia. It will not be pretty._

"Thanks for the warning," I said, a little breathless from the fall.

Pegasus chuckled at me, swerving around the buildings that were inconveniently in his path. _I didn't think heights would bother you,_ he said, amused.

"They don't," I protested. "I just didn't expect that."

He flew higher, gliding over New York faster than any other pegasi I had been on. But then, he was _the_ Pegasus. I took a deep breath and prized my locket open as we flew. I had a feeling I'd need it and height was always good in battle, right? Aiming from up here, it wasn't like any hellhound could get me. That made me think. Was it hellhounds? Or had things really kicked off when everyone found out about the whole Zeus-is-about-to-go-to-war-with-Poseidon thing? I knew the gods had chosen their sides. Had Camp? As fast as Pegasus was, he wasn't fast enough.

I couldn't tell how long it actually took. It felt like hours, but I knew it couldn't have been. Pegasus was flying too fast and camp wasn't that far away from New York. But as we closed in on camp, I felt my chest tighten. Clouds of smoke rose into the dull sky. Overhead, thunder was rumbling. Apparently, Zeus didn't like his daughter jumping on a pegasus and flying off without so much as a _'Cheerio, Dad!'_

_Do you want me to land?_ Pegasus asked me cautiously, as though he'd rather keep flying.

"Not just yet," I muttered. "Try and keep hidden in the smoke. I want to know what's going on down there without them seeing us."

_I'll try,_ he said uncertainly. _But I stand out against black smoke I'm afraid._

Still, Pegasus flew straight into the smoke cloud and hovered so that I could just make out what was going on below. On one side of the creek, a large line of monsters were stood on the edge of the forest. Hellhounds bared their teeth, huge giants roared stupidly. On the other side, an outnumbered group of campers clenched their weapons, some eagerly, others nervously. None of this surprised me much.

Until I saw Luke.

"Land," I said through my teeth, my heart thumping angrily and my hands tightening in Pegasus's mane. If he noticed, he didn't complain.

_Where?_ he asked.

"On the monster's side of the creek," I answered, my jaw locking stubbornly. It seemed Pegasus was about to complain, but he brayed nervously and swooped down gracefully. The second the monsters saw us, they snarled and roared angrily, barely managing to contain themselves. Luke blinked, as though this wasn't supposed to be happening and I was ruining things. My eyes narrowed. I hadn't even started yet.

The second Pegasus's hooves touched ground, I leapt of, hands reaching for my swords. Luke's eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn't say anything. Behind me, I could almost hear the camper's worried whisperings over the sound of my furious, pounding heartbeat.

"You took your time Acacia," Luke smirked, pacing in front of me calmly.

"What in the name of Zeus do you think you are doing?" I snarled at him, eyes narrowed. Luke frowned at me, as if disappointed I hadn't caught on yet. In the distance, unable to do anything, I could see Dionysus and Apollo watching the commotion, the first with a bored expression and the latter rather anxiously.

"What does it look like Acacia?" Luke retorted calmly, with a small shrug.

"Why?" I gawped, chest tightening. Luke? Of all people... _Luke?_ He snorted, shaking his head in disbelief.

"You really have to make me spell it out?" he scowled. "Look at yourself! Running around, proving yourself to the gods! Why? What have they ever done for us?" For a second, I straightened, stunned. My mind was working for overtime, so I guessed there really was a first time for everything. But, it was all making sense...

"Everything-" I cut off, taking a deep breath and shaking myself. Luke's eyes narrowed further. "Everything that's happened. It's all been you. You stole Zeus's Master Bolt."

He scoffed, shrugging. "You think Percy could have done it?" he smirked. "Zeus was stupid. Percy had no idea about his father when the bolt when missing. How could it have been him? And you admitted you were with him when he figured it out! Yet he still wanted to believe Poseidon and Percy stole it. Made my job easier mind." Behind me, I heard another pegasus drop from the sky and I knew Zeus and Poseidon had allowed Percy to leave.

"The shoes," I forced myself to say through gritted teeth. "You almost killed us."

"That was the point," he admitted with a sigh. "Almost managed to get you, ey? Saved Percy, who was the real target, but getting you would have taken half the problem. Yet you had the tenacity to survive."

"Well, I'm sorry if I offended you," I scowled sarcastically.

He scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Don't look at me like that Acacia," he sighed exasperatedly. "You make it look like you're going to try and kill me."

"You're trying to kill everyone else," I snarled. "Those monsters, they're going to hurt someone." For a moment, Luke looked truly sorry. But only for a moment.

He shrugged. "Acceptable losses, I think. The gods need to be shown." My jaw locked in place and my swords were out the next second, hands so tight around my swords that my knuckles were white.

"_Acceptable losses?_" I repeated furiously. "When is someone dying ever an acceptable loss? When Thalia saved your life?" Luke's face fell and the sudden tension in the air was almost unbearable. His smirk had disappeared and didn't look like it was ever coming back. His eyes were sad and desperate, as though I should have understood that he never meant that.

"Thalia would've-"

"DON'T!" I screamed. Thunder rumbled; lightning crashed; the temperature dropped below freezing. Luke's face straightened as Percy cursed loudly behind me. I heard Grover bleat nervously and Annabeth whimper. Everyone else was stunned into silence. "DON'T YOU DARE TELL ME THALIA WOULD HAVE AGREED WITH THIS!"

"And you don't either?" Luke spat. "After everything you've been through? How can you defend what they have done?"

"How can you defend this?!" I exclaimed. "You're going to kill everyone and you don't care, so long as you make the gods squirm?"

Luke snorted. "Oh, I'll do more than make them squirm," he promised. "Half-bloods get caught in the middle of everything, and when does anyone ever care? Look at this summer! You and Percy are best friends and your fathers almost made you fight each other in war!"

"And look at what you're doing!" I snapped back. "You're taking your anger out on us! You're making it so that we get caught in the middle again!"

"Not if you help me," Luke persisted urgently. "Look me in the eye and tell me you don't hate Zeus." An awkward silence descended over the creek. I knew what everyone expected to me say. They expected me to be able to do it. Look Luke in the eyes and tell him that I didn't hate my father. But honestly, I wasn't so sure.

"Sometimes," I admitted quietly. The onlookers shuffled nervously. "I'm not going to lie and say my life is perfect, or my life is easy and I love it. In all honestly, I don't. Sometimes I hate Zeus, sometimes I hate all the gods. Most of the time, I can't say I think about it. But no matter what, I'll go on any quest they give me. I'll do any test they set. Because I like it. I like knowing I helped stop the war this year, that I helped save hundreds of lives. I like knowing I can help, even if it's just one person. So no matter what happens, no matter what you say, I'm not changing my mind. You have a problem with your dad and it's going to get us all killed. I think I'd rather suffer in silence."

Luke stared at me, stunned. Maybe even he thought I'd lie and say I didn't hate my father. "So you're going to forget everything he has ever done to you?" he scowled. "Leaving you with your mum? Thalia?"

"He didn't kill Thalia," I snapped.

"He didn't save her either," Luke pointed out.

"What do you think you are going to achieve?" I sighed desperately, gulping. "You know they'll kill you, right?"

Luke smirked again. "You should have listened Acacia," he warned. My eyes widened and before I could reply, a wave slammed over my head, missing me by inches and racing toward Luke. Percy suddenly had my waist, hauling me back. The wave smacked Luke in the face, but he hardly moved. He staggered back slightly, before shaking it off and straightening out again. "Nice try Percy."

"You're stupid," I breathed, wriggling in Percy's hold.

"Are you completely insane?" Percy gawped. Luke scowled. He snapped his fingers and more monsters, around triple the amount already there, a mixture of hellhounds and some I had never even seen, crept out of the forest. They all avoided Luke and prowled toward us. Behind me, every able camper had assembled to fight.

"The gods will pay for everything they have done," Luke frowned.

"Thalia gave her life for you," I spat, unable to stop the angry tears as Percy restrained me, pulling me away from the advancing monsters. "This is how you repay her?"

"You don't have to do this," Luke said slowly, still frowning.

"Gods Luke, I swear, I don't care how strong you get," I snarled, trying to ignoring the tears still racing down my cheeks. "I don't care how weak I am in comparison. I don't even care if it gets me killed. I'll fight you every step of the way." His eyes flashed angrily and, calm as anything, he turned and strode into the forest, leaving the monsters to attack.

"PERCY! ACACIA!" Annabeth screamed. Neither of us turned.

"I have an idea," Percy muttered. "But you might not like it." We backed up slowly, inching closer to the creek.

"Just spit it out Percy," I gulped, wiping the tears away.

"Does water, wind and lightning sound like a good combination to you?" he questioned.

"Absolutely not," I scoffed.

"Good. Ready?" I shook my head, but took a deep breath as Percy let go of me and hurried back into the creek. I heard his feet splash into the water and Annabeth's gasp.

"NO! PERCY, THIS IS A BAD IDEA!" she yelled. "IF YOU GET ACACIA-" She broke off as another wave almost leapt out of the creek and curved over me. Closing my eyes and taking a deep breath, I concentrated on the wind and wrapped it around the wave. In a matter of seconds, the mini tornado, made of wind and water, was veering straight toward the line of monsters.

"Oh gods," I heard Lee Fletcher breath. Taking another breath and concentrating with everything I had, I pushed the wind toward the monster and, with Percy's help, it made contact with the first row. The same second there was a harsh tug at my gut and lightning cracked with a tremendous bang.

I staggered back, stumbling to the ground. Instantly, campers raced through the creek, charging at the monsters who had been affected by the tornado. There were still far too many. Some had drowned, some had been fried. Percy and I had maybe taken out half. But it had been half of a very large number.

"Acacia, get up!" Annabeth urged, taking my arm gently and pulling me to my feet. My knees threatened to give way, but I managed to position myself and wrapped my hands around my swords.

"I'm good," I gulped, shaking myself. She didn't look very reassured, but we didn't have the time. Taking yet another deep breath, I gripped my swords and moved to help the campers, somewhat weakly. Gritting my teeth, the temperature dropped again and I felt myself strengthen.

I don't know how long we fought. I ducked, stabbed, jabbed, sliced and who knows what else until I couldn't feel my limbs. Hellhound after hellhound leapt for my throat, but the ADHD part of me was taking over. Every one of my senses was heightened, allowing me to keep going and going with barely a scratch on me. I was beginning to see what Chiron had said earlier. As tired as I was from the travel with the Master Bolt, or the water tornado Percy and I had just created, I almost couldn't stop. All the other campers were getting tired and worn, while Percy and I kept going.

"Erm, Acacia?" Percy called.

"What Percy?" I groaned, dropping to one knee and stabbing the hellhound that leapt over my head. "Percy, what?" I turned, but the boy was stood perfectly still by the creek edge, as if he'd been frozen. "Clarisse, Annabeth!" The two campers were by my side instantly, still fighting none stop. Annabeth was pale and her breathing was ragged. Clarisse's eyes kept closing and the way she flung that spear around, I really didn't want to be stood next to her. "Cover Percy."

"What?" Clarisse snarled.

"He's not moving," Annabeth gawped, rushing to his side. Groaning, Clarisse followed her. Jaw set, I bolted to stand in front of him. Cutting of his line of sight, he jumped out of his skin, as though just realising that we were still fighting. The monster-girl thing cackled in front of me.

"Aww, you're ruining my fun!" she complained loudly. Her skin was as white as a sheet of paper, her eyes a blood red. One of her legs was brown and shaggy, with a donkey's hoof, while her other leg was like a human's, only bronze. As she cackled, she showed off her fangs.

"An empousa!" Annabeth breathed.

The empousa frowned, tilting her head to the side. "You know, you're not supposed to get in my way," she warned. "If you don't move, I'll have to kill you too."

I swung the sword in my hands expertly. "Feel free," I shrugged. The empousa smiled wickedly, taking my advice and launching herself at me.

And straight into my sword.

I snorted, smirking slightly as her eyes wide and she choked. I staggered back, hauling the sword out of her stomach. The empousa stared down at the large, gaping hole in her stomach. Nothing happened for a second, but soon, she shrieked out and exploded in a cloud of dust.

"ACACIA!" Michael Yew yelled. I frowned, turning to face him. But I moved too fast, stumbling to the side and crashing to my knees. My eyesight went blurry and something was trickling down my neck. Head throbbing, I raised a shaky hand to my throat. There was a massive cut, running in a diagonal line from my ear to my collar bone.

My first thought; it wasn't as deadly as my first life. My second thought; it might be if I didn't get the cut seen to immediately. My third thought; well, that was cut off when I fell unconscious.


	32. Chapter ThirtyOne: Aftermath

The first thing I noticed when I woke up was the killer headache that attacked my eyes. My eyebrows pulled together as my eyelids fluttered, trying to get rid of the little black spots that made everything look like a Dalmatians coat. The pain stabbed at my temples and the back of my eyes, causing a small groan to slip my lips.

"Acacia!" someone breathed. With gritted teeth, I turned my head on its side and blinked at Annabeth and Percy. The two sat side by side, for once without the thought of arguing. Annabeth's lips were pursed tightly, her eyes wide and shining. Beside her, Percy looked ten shades too pale and his hands were clenching the chair he was sat on, so hard his knuckles were burning white. Behind them, Grover slid off the other bed with a nervous bleat and stood closer, his hooves shuffling on the floor.

"What happened?" My voice came out croaky and irritated, searing my throat like I was coughing up magma. Annabeth winced and Percy gulped. Neither of them looked like they wanted to explain. Brief flashes of a grand throne room on Mount Olympus broke my train of thought, but it aggravated my head too much. They stopped pretty sharpish.

Before anything else could happen, the door opened and four figures entered. I choked loudly, trying to push myself up. Will Solace, the best healer here, hurried forward, scowling down at me and pushing me gently back down. I pursed my lips tightly, blinking the pained tears out of my eyes.

"Um," Zeus scowled slightly, stopping at the end of my bed and flicking his gaze irritably toward Percy. My cousin shuffled a little, but didn't leave my bedside. It was reassuring to know he and Annabeth were there for me. Even Grover, shaking and so pale, it looked like he'd seen a ghost, was standing his ground behind them. Fortunately, Zeus paid him no attention.

"Acacia," Chiron started grimly, wheeling himself to Zeus's side and staring at me with intense eyes, like I was about to disappear. "It's good to see you awake." Behind him, Apollo hung back, his iPod headphones deep in his ears and turned up full blast, his hands in his pockets and his eyebrows pulled together.

"When did she wake up?" Will murmured at Annabeth, pressing his hand to my forehead. I gritted my teeth again to stop myself complaining. Will scowled at me.

"Err... only a few seconds before you came in," Annabeth gulped. He nodded once.

"The point please," Zeus frowned. Will gulped, glancing at him in confusion. Zeus sighed. "Will she live?" Will hesitated again, turning back to me in deep thought. Annabeth let out a small whimper and Percy's jaw locked. Grover bleated.

"I'm fine," I forced myself to croak. Zeus raised an eyebrow. I had to admit, I sounded anything but fine. My father sighed again and snapped his fingers impatiently. Apollo scoffed in the background.

"Could ask nicely," he mumbled sourly, waving Will out of the way and stepping forward. He hesitated for a second too long, then took my hand gently. I shuffled uncomfortably, but his hand started to glow a soft gold colour. It heated my hand, sending an odd tingling sensation up my arm. Apollo's eyes met mine for a moment, before he dropped his gaze and cleared his throat, letting my hand fall to the bed again. "She'll be fine. It'll scar though."

Zeus nodded, not moving for a moment. His eyebrows pulled together ever so slightly. For a while, I didn't know where to look. My father stood at the end of the bed, or the Sun God shuffling nervously on my right? I settled for my toes poking out the end of the sheets.

"Very well," Zeus suddenly said, spinning on his heel and heading out of the room. I bit my lip, trying not to feel annoyed. But when your own Dad doesn't even ask how your feeling, after almost dying, it's incredibly hard not to feel a least a little hurt.

Chiron grimaced at me, like he knew how I felt. "How are you feeling?" he asked me softly, leaning forward slightly. I couldn't help snorting sarcastically, gritting my teeth and slowly pushing myself up. Will and Apollo both made to stop me, but Will pulled back when I scowled at him and Apollo snatched his hands back as Chiron cleared his throat loudly.

"Sore," I answered him, eyebrows pulling together. "My head's pounding, my neck is killing me and it's far too bright in here."

"Ouch, sorry about that," Apollo grimaced, shaking himself slightly. I frowned in confusion for a moment, until I remembered he was the Sun God and may as well radiate light. My cheeks flushed bright red as Apollo slipped to the back of the room again.

"Moving on," Chiron sighed, smiling a little. "You gave us quite a scare there you know." Annabeth scoffed weakly, muttering under her breath.

"Never save my life again," Percy scowled down at me.

"Wasn't planning to."

"Cheers!"

"What? You told me not to! Jeez, I was only agreeing." Percy's mouth twitched slightly as I rolled my eyes at him and even Annabeth managed a small chuckle. Chiron smiled wryly at the three of us, but my face straightened and I took a deep breath. "Is anyone going to tell me what happened?" No one would meet my gaze.

"Maybe you should rest first," Will suggested weakly, taking a bottle of nectar from the cupboard and holding it out to me.

I scowled, folding my arms across my chest like a moody child. "Tell me what happened."

"Acacia," Chiron started, shaking his head.

"Then I'll presume the news is terrible, like camp is completely destroyed, get really wound up and make the situation worse," I said stubbornly. They all blinked. "Just tell me what happened. I need to know." Will's gaze fell to the floor and Chiron sighed heavily, but said nothing. Annabeth's eyes were swimming with tears again and Grover bleated anxiously. Percy took a deep breath.

"Well, after Luke disappeared and the empousa got to you, there were a few... err, casualties," he said cautiously. I gulped, raising an eyebrow. His jaw locked. "Grace from the Aphrodite cabin was killed by a hellhound, while Silena got a broken legs trying to protect her. Austin from... Apollo's cabin, err..." He glanced back toward Apollo nervously, but the god had turned his back to us.

Will's eyes narrowed slightly and his fists clenched. "He died," he told me through his teeth. I gulped, shuffling awkwardly.

"A-And Ben from A-Athena's c-cabin," Annabeth stammered, silent tears trailing down her cheeks. Chest tight, I took a rattling breath and tried to calm myself down. But looking from Annabeth to Will, it was almost impossible. One way or another, Luke was going to pay for what he did here. And I'd be on the front line of that fight, without hesitation.

"Lee Fletcher has a broken rib, Clarisse dislocated her shoulder and Beckendorf got a pretty nasty cut down his back," Percy added bleakly. "But they'll be fine. We were just waiting for you..."

"I'm fine," I insisted, lifting a hand to my throat. My fingers shook slightly and I winced as they made contact with a large dressing.

Will gulped, frowning at it. "It's been bleeding like mad," he told me. "It's healing, but really slowly. Should be okay before summer ends." I blinked at that. When summer ends... what would I do? How was I going to explain this to Mary? Did I want to? Maybe...

"You don't have to decide right now," Chiron assured me carefully. I blinked, staring at him like he should know the answers to all of my problems and be able to snap his fingers and make things work. Instead, he smiled wryly. "Rest. You have been through a lot. There is still two weeks of the summer. You have plenty of time."

I didn't think two weeks was plenty of time. And as it turned out, I was right.

My options, as it turned out, were more varied than I thought. Option One; I stay at Camp Half-Blood, where I'd been subjected to constant training and more tests from the Olympians. Option Two; I could return to Mary Cunningham and her daughter Felicity in Scotland, on the understanding that out there, the gods couldn't protect the three of us from Hades or Hera. Option Three; I attended a boarding school full of mortals I'd never met before in New York, where I was close enough to return to camp in an emergency but separated from everyone else.

I immediately refused Option Two. As much as I missed Mary and Felicity, I would _not_ subject them to two angry, psychotic gods. My problem was, the other two didn't sound brilliant either. Staying at camp didn't seem like a good idea after everything that had just happened, but being separated from everyone I knew I cared about.

I didn't ever think there might be an Option Four.

But on the first morning of the second week, I was picking my way through the remains of the cabins under the slightly unnerving observation of Apollo and Mr. D when Percy caught up with me.

He didn't look happy. I couldn't blame him. In front of me was the burnt down remains of Cabin One, which some of the other campers had kindly begun to rebuild. Since Luke had brought an army of monsters through the camp, most if not all of the cabins had been brought to the ground. Right now, all of the campers were grouping together to rebuild. Annabeth was instructing the Athena cabin to organise everything, while Clarisse had separated all the able campers into twelve groups. The one working on Zeus's cabin was made up of Lee Fletcher, Travis Stoll, Silena Beaugard, Charles Beckendorf and Jake Mason. They'd all taken five minutes to talk, but they didn't stop for long. As far as I could see, no one wanted to allow themselves any time to think about what had caused this.

"Hey," Percy's voice came. I glanced sideways at him, careful not to twist my neck the wrong way. He was stood in baggy jeans and a dirty CAMP HALF-BLOOD t-shirt, with a completely shattered expression. "I didn't know they'd let you out of the infirmary."

"Reluctantly," I admitted with a grimace, jerking my head back to the Big House, where Apollo, Mr. D and Chiron were hovering on the porch. "Both Apollo and Will have forbidden me from helping anyone."

His lips twisted. "Still not healed?"

"Almost," I argued. "By the end of the week, the bandage will be taken off, then I should be able to go back to normal. Or at least, as normal as things get."

He hesitated, shifting on the spot as he glanced back at the Poseidon cabin, where Annabeth was snapping irritably at an Aphrodite camper I thought might be called Drew. "Look, err, Argus took me back to my Mum's place a few days ago to visit."

"Is she okay?" I frowned. I knew first hand that a trip to the Underworld didn't usually go well.

But Percy nodded furiously with a strange smile. "Oh yeah, she's great," he assured me, and I almost asked him why he was smirking like that. "Got rid of my stepdad, which is a plus, and she's got enough money to go back to college."

"That's great, Percy," I smiled. "I'm really pleased for her."

"She's worried about you, though," he told me, pulling his eyebrows together slightly.

"Why?" I asked slowly, and he suddenly shifted with a guilty look.

"Well, she was asking how you, Annabeth and Grover were after the attack," he started with a grimace. "And . . . well, I told her about you being in the infirmary, and how you didn't have anywhere to go. She's worried about you being alone."

My chest tightened as he voiced every single one of the worries that had kept me up at night. "I'm not alone, Percy," I frowned. "I'll be fine."

"Well, that's what I was saying," he started, but whatever he was saying, I didn't find out. At that precise moment, Drew started screaming back at Annabeth about how it wouldn't hurt for the cabin to have a feminine touch, and one of the younger campers – a little girl about three years old – began to wail.

My lips tugged. "Looks like she's trying to paint your cabin pink," I said. Percy scoffed darkly, turning on his heel and racing back toward the two arguing girls. Honestly, he was braver than I was. Sighing heavily, I turned and moved toward the crying girl as two of the Aphrodite campers tried desperately to calm her down.

I spent the rest of the day sat by the creek teaching the little girl – who turned out to be a Hermes kid named Mathilda – what little Ancient Greek had could remember from Annabeth's lessons. I was pretty sure she didn't understand most of what I was saying, but the company seemed to calm her down.

Unfortunately, the company grew a little intense when we received a visitor at midday. By this point, Mathilda had relaxed considerably, and she was perched on my lap as I held the book out in front of her. I'd pulled her hair out of her face and wrapped it in a bobble, and she was dressed in a small pair of denim shorts, a red pair of Converse, and a CAMP HALF-BLOOD t-shirt that was a size too big.

"Look!" she suddenly shrieked, wagging a finger to the left. Before I could stop myself, I tensed on the spot, squinting to the left as one of my hands reached for the dagger I'd taken to keeping in a hidden sheath on the back of my waistband.

But it didn't take me long to notice I recognised the person – or rather god – making their way toward us. Mathilda twisted to look up at me as the man stepped into view, his expression torn. "Who's that?" she whispered behind a hand, as though she knew she shouldn't be disrespectful enough not to know him already.

I wasn't entirely sure how to tell her it was her father.

"Acacia," Hermes acknowledged, nodding stiffly. Mathilda stared up at him with wide eyes, and he met her gaze long enough to smile kindly at her. "Hello, Mathilda." She smiled back happily, waving a hand in return. "Keeping busy?" he asked, glancing back at me.

"Annabeth and Drew were arguing in the common area," I replied, surprised I managed to keep my voice even. "She got upset, so I brought her up here."

"Teaching now, are we?" he chuckled with no humour.

"Only basics. I'm not as good as Annabeth."

"I'm sure you're doing fine," he said, settling down on the creek and watching Mathilda turn the pages of the book with no idea of what she was reading or looking at. For a moment, he said nothing, and I resorted to staring at the book awkwardly. But, after a few seconds, he cleared his throat and glanced back up at me. "I hear you're recovering well."

It didn't seem like a question. "Very," I agreed, refraining with great difficulty from reminding him that the speed of my recovery didn't change the fact that Luke had tried to kill us all.

He scanned my expression, clearing his throat a few more times before speaking again. "Acacia, I have no right to ask you to forgive him for this," he started.

"Good," I interrupted before I could stop myself. His eyes widened. "Because I can't. I won't."

Hermes stared at me in shock. I didn't care that I was purposefully being rude to a god. I'd done everything they had asked me to up until this point, but that was one thing I never could.

"Well," he coughed, frowning slightly. "I do not dispute the fact that he must pay the consequences for his actions." I didn't think he wanted to know my opinion of what the consequences should be. "But I have to ask you to help him. To stop this before there is any further bloodshed."

I stared at Mathilda's book for a long time, trying not to show how uncomfortable the thought of helping Luke made me. Hermes didn't rush me for an answer, but I could tell he was getting agitated. I wasn't entirely sure if this was helping my chances of completing my tests, or hindering them.

"I'm not sure he can be helped," I admitted quietly.

"All I'm asking is that you try," he replied.

I looked up at him, gulping hard. "His actions killed three demigods. Countless more are injured, and everyone refuses to say his name." The god stared at me expectantly, and I found myself sighing heavily. "What if I can't?"

He smiled sadly. "If he is unreasonable, then you tried your best. That is all I am asking."

"Is this my test?" I asked.

"No," he replied, shaking his head furiously. "I wouldn't ask that of you."

Mathilda suddenly looked up at me, pointing to a picture of Zeus in the book. "Is that your Daddy?" she asked in a loud voice.

"Yes, honey," I answered carefully. Her little eyes widened, and she giggled, dropping her gaze back to her book. Pursing my lips, I glanced between her and Hermes with a sinking feeling in my chest. "Okay. I'll try."

The god sighed in relief. "Thank you, Acacia Grace. And I believe you're missing dinner." He pointed behind me to the dining pavilion, just as the horn sounded. Grimacing once, I hauled Mathilda into my arms and got to my feet, leaving the god staring out over the creek.

Travis Stoll, another Hermes camper, took Mathilda off me with a grateful smile as I entered, and I ended up spending a long time stood by their table talking with most of them, avoiding the mention of Luke's name like the plague. I didn't feel like admitting I'd promised their father to help Luke if I could. Even the Ares table collared me as I passed them, assuring me time and time again that Cabin One would be restored to its former glory before I was let out of the infirmary.

"Busy day?" Percy asked with a small smile as I slumped with my back to him at Zeus's table.

"Um," I replied wryly. "Not as busy as you, by the looks of it. The Poseidon cabin is really coming on."

"Should be done by this time tomorrow," he agreed. "Would've been finished today, but Annabeth kept pulling me away to break up fights. Apparently, having a child of the Big Three on hand works quite well."

"You should have shouted," I sighed.

"You're resting," he replied sternly. "Will would have had my head. Anyway, I got plenty done. Even managed to help Clarisse and Annabeth finish off the Ares and Athena cabins."

I turned, wide-eyed. "You? Helped _Clarisse?"_

He grimaced. "Neither of us was thrilled about it, but the quicker we get it all done, the better. The younger kids are freaking out. They don't understand."

My stomach lurched as I remembered my promise to Hermes, but gulping hard, I set my expression and sighed heavily. "I know what you mean. I just spent the entire day trying to figure out how to answer Mathilda's questions without telling her that her big brother's lost his mind. She keeps asking about him, misses him like mad."

Percy frowned. "Give it time. Kids her age are smarter than anyone gives them credit for. She'll learn."

"I really hope so," I admitted. "The last thing we need is him twisting all the others as well." Percy didn't say anything, and I sighed again, turning back to my table just in time to see a figure drop into place opposite me.

No one looked over this time, not like when Annabeth made an unannounced visit. No one stopped talking. In fact, if anything, they spoke louder. No one wanted to see the look of complete horror on Apollo's face as he gawped at me, his hands clutching the edge of the table so tightly, it crumbled under the strain. I stared with wide eyes, feeling every ounce of strength I had left disappear in one breath.

"Tell me you didn't," he almost whispered. My chest was so tight at the sight of him so distressed, I couldn't speak. His face was ten shades paler than usual, and his bright eyes seemed to have lost their shine. "Tell me you didn't."

"D-Didn't what?" I gulped.

His hands shook. "You promised Hermes to help . . . _that boy."_

Behind me, Percy choked on something and my stomach sank, but by the look on my face, Apollo had already worked out the answer. His shoulder's sagged and his face fell, his eyes still locked on mine.

"Why?" he questioned, his gaze intensifying. "Why help him?"

"I only said I'd try," I insisted quietly with a slight frown, dropping my gaze to my plate. "I don't even think it's possible."

"Then why bother?" he retorted with an angry edge to his voice.

I couldn't look at him, still staring at my empty plate with a sinking feeling and a tight throat. "Because if, on the off chance it works, it could stop anything like this happening again. Because I can't stand the thought of anymore demigods dying, or explaining to the younger kids that one of our own did this. Because no matter what I think, Thalia thought he was worth saving, and I can't bring myself to think she made that sacrifice for nothing."

Apollo groaned quietly, hanging his head and mumbling something I couldn't hear. It took a moment before I could bring myself to look up at him. "I can't let this happen again," I insisted. "I'll try anything to stop it."

He flicked his eyes up to meet mine, hesitating for a moment. "Anything?"

I stared, not entirely sure what I was supposed to say, or even think. A few times, I opened my mouth to speak, but closed it again with a painful shifting in my chest. Paling even more, Apollo gulped hard and leant across toward me. Without taking his eyes off mine, he slid something across the table. When he pulled his hand away, I saw my locket shining in the sunset, and my throat closed. "You have this for a reason," he told me under his breath, leaning so close his breath trailed over my skin. "If he hurts you," he continued, his voice dropping dangerously and his eyes flashing in anger. "I'll kill him."

With that, he pushed himself to his feet and stalked out of the pavilion, leaving me shivering and terrified.

I barely realised what I was doing for the rest of dinner. Like everyone else, I filled my plate and took it to the hearth to scrape some in, mumbling a prayer to my father. Percy didn't say anything as I sat back down to eat, still sitting with my back to everyone. I ate my dinner like it was an automatic reflex, despite the fact my stomach was twisting with nausea.

It wasn't until I was walking back to the Big House infirmary that I spoke at all. Most of the campers were heading toward their make-shift rooms in the Big House, with a few slipping off to their cabins in the common area. None of them seemed to be in the mood to talk, probably because everyone knew I'd just upset one of our resident gods.

Percy, on the other hand, raced to catch up to me before I disappeared. "You okay?" he asked carefully.

I scoffed, slipping my locket through my fingers thoughtfully. For some reason, I couldn't bring myself to wear it again. "Not really."

"How bad?"

My eyes flicked toward my cousin, already trying to assess the damage I'd caused with Apollo. For what felt like the hundredth time, I found myself thanking whatever gods would listen for a cousin as trustworthy and dependable as Percy Jackson. "Bad," I admitted with a misplaced smile. "Really bad."

He sighed. "I think we just have a knack."

I laughed lightly. "For offending gods? Sure, I can't really argue with that."

"I take it you don't really want to stay here all year, since Apollo's hanging around?" My laughter faded immediately, and though I didn't say it, I knew he'd already worked it out. "That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about earlier."

"Apollo?" I blinked.

"No," he frowned, shaking his head. "You remember I said my Mum was worried about you being alone?"

I sighed, rolling my eyes in mild irritation. "Vividly."

"Well, my Mum decided you should stay with us."

My feet froze on the spot, and Percy jerked to a halt, trying not to laugh as I stared at him in shock. "Why?" I frowned, a little more abruptly than I'd intended to.

His eyebrows rose. "You have nowhere else to stay, and she thinks you do a better job of keeping me out of trouble than everyone else does."

My jaw dropped. "Percy, the first time I met you, we were attacked by two Kindly Ones. The second time, we both ended up in the infirmary. After that, we were busy trying _not_ to be killed while we hunted down my Dad's Master Bolt. How is _that_ staying out of trouble?"

He shrugged. "Look, she's worried about you. You're one of my best friends. She just thought it was a better solution than sending you to Scotland."

I hesitated. Truthfully, it sounded so much better than my other options. I couldn't go back to Mary and Felicity, it was far too far away. On the other hand, a boarding school sounded like some form of cruel torture, and I couldn't stand the thought of being within a mile of Apollo.

"A daughter of Zeus and a son of Poseidon under one roof?" I winced.

Percy smirked. "What could go wrong?"


	33. Epilogue

The sunrise was bleeding across the horizon, and I could feel the heat beginning to reach me already in the orange and blood red glow. The hood of the convertible sports car was hot to touch, which wasn't surprising. It had spent years driving the sun across the sky. The heat didn't bother me as I slouched against the front of it. The windows were rolled down, letting the rock music blaring from the stereo thud against my eardrums. It was supposed to be stopping me overthinking things, but so far, it wasn't working.

Acacia Grace. The Daughter of Zeus. It was almost painful to think about. The idea that she could be caught up in not one, but _two_ prophecies made me want to drive the car off the edge of the cliff and leave it there. And that was before I even considered the irony of me being the god of prophecy.

"Apollo."

I cast a reluctant glance sideways at my sister, Artemis. She was stood as far away as she could manage without being hidden from sight, with a slight scowl in her expression. Sighing heavily, I turned away again, folding my arms over my chest.

"You cannot act rashly," her warning came, the same warning she'd been delivering since the summer solstice. "If you're thinking about Miss Grace-"

"I'm trying not to."

There was a moments silence. "Oh, I see."

"No, you don't."

Artemis sighed, moving forward and stopping a few paces away from the car. "Apollo, even if she is the girl in the prophecy, even if she passes all the tests and is granted godhood, what do you expect to happen? However slight the connection is, she's part of the Great Prophecy. She's to stay with Perseus Jackson, and interfering in her life could interfere with his. You may be able to justify the first eventuality – presuming that Lord Zeus didn't kill you first – but not the latter."

"Is there a point?" I scowled.

"That no matter who or what you think Acacia Grace is to you, you can't go anywhere near her," Artemis said simply.

"I was aware of that," I said sharply, trying not to get too annoyed with her. I knew she was just looking out for me – and Acacia for that matter – but that didn't help much. It didn't change the outcome.

Artemis didn't look like she believed me. "There are ways to keep the two of you apart," she frowned.

I shot her a cool look. "Don't even think about it," I warned her. "If I have to stay away from her, so do you."

She hesitated for a few moments. "Very well. But I promise you Apollo, if you go anywhere near her, I will intervene, before Zeus and the others find out."

"And what if she doesn't want your help?" I snapped before I could stop myself, pushing away from the car and striding away from her before I did something I'd regret. I'd be waiting to meet Acacia Grace for almost four hundred years now, and now I'd met her, knew her even, everyone was trying to keep me away from her. The injustice of it all was killing me.

But Artemis's eyebrows had risen dangerously high. "You are a god. The girl is bound to be uncomfortable with the attention. The only reason that would change is you spending too much time around her. Whether she wants my help or not, even she will soon realise the danger you pose to her."

"Stay out of it, Artemis," I snarled through my teeth.

"No," she glowered. "Stay away from her, Apollo. Before you get the girl killed." Without another word, she turned and disappeared in a bright, golden light, leaving me stood with my muscles tensed and fists clenched.

The problem was, I knew she was right. The closer I got to Acacia Grace, the more likely it was that I'd get her killed.

And I wasn't sure how much longer I could stay away.

**_Author's Note: Just a head's up to those who have been asking, the sequel to The Chosen is on the way, the first chapter should be posted soon. It's called The Poison, so look out for it! PS. thanks for the reviews, it's great hearing your feedback! ~ HC_**


End file.
